Rise of the Beast
by Quill N. Inque
Summary: After defeating the Brotherhood, Beast Boy finds himself haunted by his more animalistic side... COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

"_**The Beast will have its day."-**__ Lord Talbot, "The Wolfman", (2010)_

Chapter 1: Hunger

_The moonlight cast its eerie glow over the treetops on a clear starry night, and shafts of its ethereal luminescence filtered through the barren branches, creating patches of light on the forest floor below. No birds called out their plaintive cries this night, no crickets chirruped and no frogs croaked as they normally did on such evenings. It was as if nature was holding her breath, and one could see why after laying eyes upon IT._

_The dried leaves crunched like potato chips underneath the creature's massive paws as it pursued its prey, letting out a spine-tingling howl that would give even Dracula nightmares. It was a howl not heard in nature, a mournful, hungry cry that contained all the misery and suffering of the world in its haunting notes. The monster's lungs burned in its massive, furry chest as it panted for fresh air, its pink tongue lolling out of its mouth, and ever-growing quantities of drool pooled around its snarling fangs as the intoxicating, stinking scent of fear reached its leathery nostrils. That was good; meat always tasted better when seasoned with mind-numbing, heart-stopping terror. It smiled unnaturally, its eyes burning with savage, mindless hunger, and it galloped ever faster as it closed in on its prey._

_The majestic stag was mercifully unaware as the creature slammed into it like a green-furred cannonball, its claws ripping through muscle and shredding through flesh as burning blood spattered its paws. With a neat flick of its wrist, the beast severed the stag's throat, and let out a victorious howl before beginning its feast, wrenching off a leg and sucking on the marrow. Everything was still fresh and warm, which was fine in the beast's mind: blood always tasted so much better when it was fresh and hot. He could almost taste the late stag's fear as it feasted under the light of the full moon, thoroughly enjoying its reward for such a long and arduous hunt. The beast bent his head-_

And Garfield Logan, aka Beast Boy of the Teen Titans, woke from his sleep with a cold, unnerving sweat. He looked about wildly for a nanosecond, consumed with terror, but the fear immediately vanished as he realized he was back in his room, that it had all been a dream.

Beast Boy shook the last remnants of grogginess from his head and yawned cavernously, but he wasn't fooling himself; this was the fourth time in as many days that he'd had that particular nightmare, the one where he had once again become the creature known only as the Beast and satisfied his more…_primal _urges.

Beast Boy grimaced. "Stupid nightmares," he muttered. "Even when he's in prison, that Adonis still has the last word! I don't know which is worse! But at least it wasn't the one about Raven again…" He blushed just _thinking _about what _that _particular dream had entailed.

Though, to be fair, Beast Boy _had _been looking at Raven differently these past few months, noticing little things that had escaped his notoriously short attention span before. Like how she made that tiny smile look so adorable, the silkiness of her hair, or the way she rolled her eyes at Beast Boy's jokes. More and more, Beast Boy was starting to see Raven as a woman more than a friend, a woman who sent butterflies fluttering in his stomach whenever she got too close.

Not that he was planning on sharing this information with another living person. Cyborg , in particular, would laugh himself to pieces, and Beast Boy wasn't prepared to risk Raven's friendship by trying to turn it into anything else.

Now he sighed mournfully as he threw the covers off, striding across the room in his boxer shorts to glance at himself in the mirror.

Beast Boy flexed like a professional bodybuilder, grinning foolishly. He had filled out following the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil, and his previous scrawniness was vanishing bit by bit; each morning, he woke up looking just a tiny bit more muscular than before. Whether it was puberty or a by-product of the chemical that had awakened the Beast in the first place, he didn't know, but Beast Boy was far from complaining as he pulled on his clothes, opening the door afterward with a pneumatic hiss and stepping into the hallway.

Robin was waiting for him. "I was just about to get you up," he said. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Beast Boy grimaced. "Is Star cooking again?"

"Thankfully, no," Robin said, returning his wince. "After what happened last time, I don't think I could handle it."

"I heard that," Beast Boy replied as they turned into the kitchen. He stopped as he went to sit down, because everyone was staring at him.

"What?" Beast Boy asked irritably. "Do I have a zit or something?"

"No, friend Beast Boy," Starfire said, putting aside her glass of mustard. "You have merely seemed troubled these past mornings. Today is no exception," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Tell us what troubles you. Perhaps we can be of assistance."

"Yeah, man, you've been looking crummy ever since the Brain got put on ice," Cyborg added. "You're not foolin' anyone, dude."

"And don't tell us you're fine when you clearly are not," Raven drawled. "Robin has a bad habit of doing that, and we don't need you starting as well."

Robin glared at her, but Raven merely shrugged. "Well, it's true. I think this is what Bumblebee referred to as a 'stupid guy thing'."

Beast Boy tried to grin reassuringly, but couldn't quite manage it. "I just haven't been sleeping well," he said, blushing furiously again as the memory of his Raven-oriented nightmare thrust its way to the surface of his mind. "I…uh…think it'll be better soon."

"You have a fever or something?" Raven asked, not looking up from her ancient book. "I could probably help with that, you know."

Beast Boy shook his head, but in all honesty he wasn't entirely opposed to Raven's hands on his body. "No, it's not that. Don't worry, guys, I'll be fine in a day or two."

Robin shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, as he handed his friend a bowl of tofu with milk. Beast Boy licked his lips hungrily; his dream had, it seemed, whetted his appetite. He picked up the spoon by his hand, turning it over-

And saw the Beast's reflection in its shiny surface, its fanged mouth moving while its voice echoed through his mind.

"Let me out," it rasped.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Beast Boy cried out in surprise, falling over in his chair in his haste to discard the utensil, dropping it as if it were a handful of plague virus. The unfortunate chair splintered in two, and Beast Boy's chest heaved and his heart pounded thunderously in his chest as he sobbed for breath.

All too soon, he became aware of his friends' concerned and worried stares, and Beast Boy excused himself hastily, stumbling over his shoes as he fled the dining room.

"I'm going to go take a shower," he muttered to Robin, who edged away slightly at Beast Boy's approach.

"Yeah…you do that," the Boy Wonder replied. "Take your time."

But Beast Boy didn't hear him as the doors closed in his wake.

Minutes later, the changeling slammed the bathroom door bad-temperedly, whipping the faucet on and turning the temperature freezing cold. He bent his head, splashing his face with the icy liquid in a vain attempt to clear his mind. Beast Boy blinked the water out of his eyes, lifted his head-

And nearly fell in the toilet as the reflection of the Beast copied him in the mirror's glassy surface. The creature didn't move as Beast Boy muffled his cry of terror and confusion, but its catlike eyes followed his every move.

"Go back in your box," the young man said through gritted teeth. "Why are you showing up now, of all times? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"I am always with you," the Beast replied. "I am every primal emotion and urge in your body. I am every carnal thought that flashes through your mind when you look at Raven. Try as you might, you will _never _be rid of me, Garfield. I will lurk in the darkest corners of your mind until the sun grows cold."

"Go away!" Beast Boy yelled.

The Beast tapped a claw on his chin, pretending to think about it. "I think…not. I will say it again. Let. Me. Out."

"Never," BB snarled back.

"Who do you think you're fooling?" the Beast laughed gruffly. "You may not want to admit it, but at some level…_you enjoy being me, Garfield. _You find exhilaration in the power and strength I wield. Deep down, you want it as much as I do. Just like you want the girl, I imagine. Well, what's stopping you? Set me free and make her your mate! You know you want to!"

"The question is, does RAVEN want to?" Beast Boy replied quietly. "I will NEVER do anything to hurt her. I don't even know if she feels the same way, and if I took advantage of her like that, she'd never forgive me."

The Beast snorted. "Details, details, Garfield. Why don't you grow a pair and ask her out on a -what do you humans call it?- a date, already? The sooner you do that, the sooner…"

Beast Boy slammed his fist in the mirror. "STOP IT!" he roared. "Raven is not a sex object! She's my friend!"

"Look at you go!" the creature chortled merrily. "If only you pursued Raven with the passion you defend her."

"Just leave me alone," Beast Boy sobbed, sinking into the tub.

"I will not rest until you give me that which I desire," the Beast said firmly. "Sooner or later, I _will _be free, Garfield, though by your doing or mine remains to be seen. And until you grant me liberation, until you let me feel the wind in my fur and the grass in my paws, you will see me every time you close your eyes. See you tonight," it said, grinning ferociously as the Beast faded away.

Beast Boy glared at the now-empty mirror. "You're _not _going to win," he said firmly.

But in his heart, he just wasn't sure.

A/N: So, here's my latest fic! I've been wanting to do something like this for quite some time now, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed typing it! ^^ Chapter Two will probably be up sometime this week, though exactly when is hard to say, due to the rather annoying interruption of the educational system. XD Rest assured, I will try to have the next installment up as soon as time permits.

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	2. Chapter 2

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 2: Fury

Only minutes after his psychologically disturbing conversation, Beast Boy was jolted back to the present when the Tower's alarm system sent its shrill, beeping tones echoing through the hallways. All thoughts of the Beast were quickly put aside, and Beast Boy exited the restroom at breakneck speed. It was well known that Robin didn't tolerate tardiness.

The other Titans had already gathered in front of the obscenely oversized computer screen overlooking the bay. "Where's the fire?" Beast Boy joked as he sidled up next to Cyborg.

"Not the time, BB," his friend replied. "We got trouble downtown."

"Who is it this time?" the changeling asked.

"According to the police scanners, it's Mumbo Jumbo again," Raven answered the question as Robin brought up a map of the city. "There was a magician performing at the Children's Hospital today, and apparently Mumbo doesn't like interlopers. He's taken him hostage on the third floor."

"I would think that the Mumbo would realize the futility of his continued crimes," Starfire said. "This is the third time this month we have had to deal with him."

"But he won't pull a vanishing act on us today," Robin said grimly. "One way or another, he'll be behind bars by lunchtime."

"So what's the plan?" Beast Boy inquired as the friends headed to the T-Car. "If he's on the third floor, he'll see us coming, dude."

"Exactly," Robin said. "Which is why you're going to run reconnaissance before we move in to take Mumbo down."

"Reconnaissance?" Beast Boy groaned. "I don't even know how to spell that word, and I still hate doing it. That's all you've had me do since we took down the Brotherhood."

Raven's tone was dry. "Beast Boy?"

"Yeah?"

"Quit whining."

He blushed as the group piled into Cyborg's pride and joy. "Sorry."

"Even so, I do not believe it is fair for Beast Boy to merely observe and gather information," Starfire said. "He desires the kicking of butt, too."

Robin grinned at Beast Boy. "Fine. Next time, we'll send you in first."

"Deal," his friend smiled back as the T-Car lifted off with a whoosh, speeding toward the iconic image of the Children's Hospital in the distance. It took only moments to reach the massive structure, due to the vehicle's capability to achieve speeds unheard of in ordinary cars.

And, of course, the T-Car could fly. That helped, too.

Raven glanced out the window beside her, her eyebrow rising fractionally at the armada of police vehicles assembled below. "Nice to have some help for once," she drawled.

Robin ignored the jibe as he outlined his strategy. "Okay, here's the plan. Beast Boy will infiltrate the hospital and find out what Mumbo's up to in there. Once he's done that, Cyborg, Starfire and I will engage him head-on, providing a distraction for Raven and Beast Boy to get the children to safety. If nothing else, we need to get those kids out of there. Any questions?"

Silence greeted Robin's last sentence. The Boy Wonder nodded. "Fine. Beast Boy, do your thing."

The changeling gave him a mocking salute. "Sir, yes sir!" Beast Boy grinned cheekily as he smoothly shifted into the form of a tiny green hummingbird. The transformed hero sped out the window like a shiny dart, disappearing only seconds later through an air vent.

"You think it was smart to take him along?" Cyborg asked quietly. "The grass stain's been havin' issues lately."

"I know," Robin admitted. "But we couldn't pull this rescue off without him. Otherwise, I would have left Beast Boy at the Tower. If it turns out I'm wrong…" his voice trailed off.

"What?" Cyborg said, prompting Robin to continue.

"If it turns out I'm wrong, I don't think we'll live to regret the mistake," the Boy Wonder finished quietly.

Meanwhile, the rapid motion of Beast Boy's wings created a barely audible buzzing sound as he sped down the metal-shaft, darting this way and that in a most erratic flight pattern. Though this particular form had no visible ears, this did not stop Beast Boy from hearing Mumbo's familiar tones drift through from the room below.

The glory-hounding criminal gestured grandly toward the bound and gagged man in front of him. "For my next trick," he said, smiling cheerfully at the boys and girls trapped inside, "I will be resurrecting a classic favorite!" With a motion of his arm, Mumbo trapped the hapless entertainer in a long, rectangular box. Pulling a shining saw from his sleeve, he added, "It's only fair to warn you, I have no idea what I'm doing. But maybe this will teach you to think twice before trying to steal MY audience!"

Taking care not to make any loud noises, Beast Boy reverted to his human form and swiftly flipped open his communicator. "I got a visual on Mumbo," he muttered. "We need to move fast."

"Copy that," Cyborg's voice said, crackling with static. "Raven is on her way now. Get those kids out of there, and watch your back, man."

Beast Boy grinned. "Watch your own," he retorted as he snapped the device shut. At the same time, Raven materialized beside him, emerging from a puddle of blackness with her cape and hood swirling around her.

The changeling felt his heart beat faster, and Beast Boy had to make a conscious effort to focus on the task ahead. Even so, he was all too aware of how close Raven's body was to his in this confined space.

He shook his head. _Get your mind on the mission, Garfield._

The second thought that flashed through Beast Boy's head was not his own.

_**Your mission and mine are very different.**_

Beast Boy barely kept himself from yelling in surprise. _Not you again! First you're in the mirror, and now you're in my head? GO AWAY!_

_**I merely thought I would offer my services, **_The Beast replied. _**Release me, and we could crush this charlatan without even breaking a sweat. Let me out.**_

_Go to hell, _Beast Boy replied viciously.

_**YOU KNOW NOTHING OF HELL!**_ The Beast roared, and the young man flinched visibly as Raven stared. _**What do you think it's like for me, cooped up in your head like a dog in his cage?**_

_Tough toenails, _Beast Boy thought. _'Cuz that's where you're going to stay._

Further conversation with his primal side was cut off as Cyborg blasted the saw out of Mumbo's hand, just as he bent to begin his grisly task. The entire wall collapsed on itself under the pressure of a hail of starbolts, and Robin's voice was grim as the three fighters closed in on Mumbo.

"End of the line," the Boy Wonder said. "You won't get away so easily."

"That's our cue," Raven said in her deadpan tones. "C'mon, we have to move while he's distracted."

Beast Boy gingerly climbed out of the air duct, landing silently only a few feet away from the perturbed Mumbo.

"Why do you kids always have to ruin my act?" he demanded. "You're making it hard for enterprising souls like me to make a dishonest buck!"

"That's kinda the point," Cybog said, dodging a stream of brightly colored ribbons, retaliating with a salvo of small missiles from his shoulders. Mumbo merely sucked the explosives into the vastness of his hat, grinning sardonically. Then, he tapped the hat's brim with his wand, and the projectiles came screaming out again.

Only this time, they were pointed at Robin.

The hero's eyes widened in surprise, and he threw himself behind an overturned table to escape being blown to bits. The missiles left baseball-sized craters in the spot where Robin's head had been only a moment before.

Meanwhile, Raven and Beast Boy had their hands full trying to get the kids out of harm's way. The original idea was to herd them together so Raven could teleport them out, but, being children, they never stayed in one place for more than a few seconds. Beast Boy made a series of shushing noises, putting his finger to his lips, but the meaning was lost on one oblivious little girl.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked loudly.

Mumbo turned around instantly, and his eyes narrowed with anger at the sight of the two heroes. "Sorry, kiddies, show's not over yet," he said in a singsong voice. "But the curtain is about to fall on you two!" Without another word, Mumbo swished his wand and sent an honest-to-God anvil barreling at Raven with the force of a runaway train.

Time seemed to stand still for Beast Boy. His green eyes widened in horror as the unforgiving metal caught his friend square in the abdomen, flinging Raven aside like a discarded doll as several somethings _cracked._ Raven tried vainly to stand, but then she coughed blood and slumped to the floor.

Something snapped in Beast Boy's mind.

Hot, roiling, furious anger like he'd never known suffused every cell in his body, and the last conscious thing the changeling heard was the rasping voice of the Beast in his head.

_**Kill him.**_

A shot of fiery pain rocketed down Beast Boy's spine, his very bones began to ache as an excruciating pain overwhelmed him. Fur began to sprout from his face and hands, his fingernails lengthened into savage claws, and his bones made a harsh grating sound as they grew in size. Beast Boy's familiar features were replaced by a muzzle like a dog's, and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as his teeth turned into savage fangs. The Beast spoke in his head again, his savage tones a booming knell of doom.

_**Kill him.**_

Beast Boy's feet exploded out of his shoes, tripling in size as his toes melded together to form massive paws. His clothes fell away in tatters, and Mumbo's eyes widened with heart-stopping terror at the sight before him. The villain's fear was absolutely delicious, like a rare perfume, and the creature flexed its mighty claws as it turned to face him. Nothing in the world mattered now, save for exacting vengeance on the man who had DARED raise a hand to Raven. HIS Raven. The thought of tasting Mumbo's blood sent waves of saliva dripping onto the tiles, and the thing fixed Mumbo with a stare of burning anger, staring deep into the blue man's eyes, so he could see his death reflected in the creature's pupils. Mumbo's death, the Beast decided, would be as painful as utterly possible; visions of gut-spattering violence danced in its mind, and it gave an unnatural, toothy grin as it stalked its prey.

For a moment, nothing happened. The Beast merely gazed at its intended victim.

Then, with eye-blurring speed, it lunged at Mumbo with its claws outstretched. By the time the magician had registered the movement, the thing's claws had already ripped into the flesh of his arm. Mumbo screamed in pain, and the sound was the sweetest music the Beast had ever heard. Using its massive, furry paws, it grabbed Mumbo by the throat and started slamming him, almost comically, into the walls on either side of it.

Or it would have been comical, if one wasn't able to hear Mumbo's bones breaking. His body left sizable indentions in plaster, but within seconds the Beast had tired of its game. Picking him up by his cape, the creature marched to the other side of the room and flung Mumbo's broken body out of the third-story, with all the casualness of one taking out the trash. It leapt into the air, shattering the glass pane completely, and using its claws to dig into the concrete, pulled itself to the roof of the hospital. It whuffed softly as its horrifying visage appeared on the rooftop, and for a moment it gazed at all the humans gathered below him, reveling in their fear as it let out a screeching howl. He knew they were afraid, knew that, in the city below, there were dozens upon dozens who shivered and shook before his unstoppable, fearsome might.

And he, in turn, hungered for all of them.

A/N: Holy crap! What will happen to poor Beast Boy now? Will his animalistic alter-ego hurt anyone? Did Mumbo survive his fall? And what will become of Raven? Find out next time, in "Rise of the Beast"!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	3. Chapter 3

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 3: Ill Met by Moonlight

The Beast licked Mumbo's blood from his claws, savoring its unique flavor and running his pink tongue around his fanged mouth. Such enjoyment only served to amplify the ravenous hunger that gnawed at the inside of the Beast's stomach. Thoughts of fresh prey sent ribbons of silvery slobber dripping from his cavernous maw, and the creature launched itself like a coiled spring from the hospital's rooftop, intent only on filling its immense belly. As if flew through the air, the Beast idly considered devouring Mumbo, helpless as he was in his wretched, broken condition, but it hardly seemed worth the effort; after all, meat always tasted better when you hunted it properly.

A sudden, uncomplicated thought flashed through the Beast's brain, and it swung around in mid-leap, wheeling a sharp left and entering the hospital bay through the window he'd broken only moments before. His hunger was momentarily forgotten, replaced by a new, more urgent goal: to protect Raven. As it landed in the sickbay, its nostrils twitched furiously, and the Beast used senses barely comprehensible to science to track where Raven's unconscious body lay. Moving swiftly, the creature ignored the blood that soaked the fur on its paws as it neared the woman it had come to consider as its mate. The great eyes that had burned like furious lanterns now softened to a tender candle's glow, and the Beast crooned softly, almost lovingly, as it drew Raven close to it. He sniffed her thoroughly; his nose could detect injuries that the naked eye couldn't. As the Beast ran its leathery muzzle through Raven's hair, it cocked a large, conch-shaped ear to her mouth and nose.

An unmistakable, rumbling sigh of relief escaped the Beast's mouth, for Raven was still breathing. She even twitched her nose as its coarse fur made her sinuses tingle. Having confirmed to itself that Raven was indeed among the living, the Beast knelt down on its haunches with an air of purpose; using fearsome paws that could rend steel and punch through stone, it scooped Raven into its hairy arms with a gentleness that would not have roused a kitten from its sleep. Such tenderness, indeed, seemed entirely out of character with such a fearsome predator. The Beast took extraordinary care in climbing out the broken window, so that not even a hair on Raven's head was disturbed en route to the rooftop. Its stomach growled again, more insistently this time, and the Beast had to make an effort to keep its mind on the task at hand. Hunting could come later, when Raven was safe.

But upon reaching the rooftop where it had stood only moments before, the Beast found that it was no longer vacant. Its catlike pupils widened in surprise the Teen Titans stood in its path, but if they intended to frighten the creature, Robin and the others would have been sorely disappointed. If anything, the Beast was more irritated at the unexpected obstruction than anything else.

Cyborg leveled his sonic cannon with obvious reluctance. "Put her down, BB. Don't make me do it."

"Please, friend, do you not recognize us?" Starfire, ever the pacifist, tried to reason with the creature as her hands began to glow a bright, cheerful green.

Her words were lost upon the Beast, who flicked its ears back in agitation. Who did these weaklings think they were, challenging him for dominance, trying to claim HIS territory? The males were obviously trying to claim his mate Raven as their own, intent on ousting him from his hunting ground! A growl rose in the creature's massive throat, growing in volume as his anger began to boil. The Beast gingerly set Raven down behind him, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face before turning to face the perceived challengers.

Cyborg relaxed as Raven was lowered gently to the ground, and the hero deactivated his cannon with a high-pitched whine.

That was all the opening the Beast needed. He charged toward the group of friends, his claws raking sparks as they were dragged across the asphalt roof, and the creature raked the deadly finger-blades across his Cyborg's chest, ripping through the titanium-steel alloy armor as if it were made of tissue paper. Sparks flew from the savage rips in the hero's torso, but this was not Cyborg's lucky day; as he fell, stunned, the Beast grabbed him by the ankle and sent him barreling into Starfire. The Tamaranian was blown backward under Cyborg's bulk, and the two went down in a tumbling heap as the Beast howled in triumph and exultation.

A series of explosions flew across the creature's back, and its attention was instantly diverted. While the blasts were far from lethal, they were certainly distracting enough to invoke the Beast's anger. It pawed at its singed fur and turned around, and Robin quailed almost imperceptibly under its gazed. To his credit, the Boy Wonder didn't let his fear get to him; he only leveled his bo staff determinedly in the Beast's direction.

The creature paused momentarily, its leathery nose twitching. Its predator instinct was blaring like a foghorn; The Beast could sense intuitively that this human was the alpha-male of his pack, a fighter on a different level than his two now-unconscious companions. Caution was therefore necessary, the Beast determined, and this human would be accorded the respect that a pack leader deserved. It hunkered downward, flexing its claws in anticipation of victory.

The two combatants threw themselves at each other with unnatural speed, and the Beast's heart pounded in its chest as the thrill of battled overwhelmed him. It lunged with a decapitating swipe at Robin's head, but the Boy Wonder ducked under the blow and landed a bone-jarring blow on the creature's extended wrist. The Beast howled in pain and rage at the unexpected counterattack, but recovered swiftly; it caught the staff on rebound, before Robin could recover from striking, and pummeled the hero right in the gut with the unforgiving metal. Robin gasped in pain as nausea flooded his senses. Shaking his head like an enraged bull, he yanked two birdarangs from his utility belt and slammed them together. The two projectiles swiftly combined into a weapon as ancient and traditional as it was lethal: a wickedly pointed, double-edged sword. Robin wasted no time in cutting the stolen metal staff like a link of sausage and slicing a shallow cut along the Beast's arm in one fluid movement. The creature hissed, almost snakelike, but a swift backhanded blow to Robin's sword arm compensated for such things. Revenge always gave the Beast a warm, fuzzy feeling. It licked the blood seeping from the wound, its eyes almost mocking as it dared the Boy Wonder to try his luck again.

And try it he did. Using his good arm, Robin threw a volley of explosive discs at the Beast's barrel-like, hairy chest, and the creature staggered backward, unfazed by the explosives but disoriented from the light and noise. Spots danced in front of the Beast's vision, and his line of sight cleared just before Robin's foot collided with his face. A dislocated fang landed several feet away, such was the force of the blow.

The Beast squared his shoulders, rumbling softly. This fight had gone on far too long for his liking; this pathetic creature was beginning to best him. Robin's skills were very much akin to his.

Akin to, perhaps, but _far _from equal.

The Beast didn't even seem to move. One moment, he was several feet away, and the next he was right in Robin's face. His meaty fist collided with the Boy Wonder's cheek with a sound reminiscent of an iron bar smacking into a wet side of meat, and Robin literally flew through the air, coming to a skidding halt just feet away from the edge of the roof. His head lolled to the side.

The Beast felt the pride of victory coarse through his veins, and he let out a triumphant roar, throwing his head back as he bellowed his challenge to the heavens above. Robin was obviously and mercifully unconscious, so he didn't see the Beast lumber up to him with an inquisitive look on its face.

It poked him gingerly with a long, curved claw, but Robin didn't respond, not even when the Beast's hot breath mussed his hair. It briefly considered devouring him, but for some unknown reason, the prospect of eating Robin held no appeal, despite the Beast's hunger. The hesitation was confusing, but not worth worrying about; after all, there was plenty of prey to hunt around here.

The creature inhaled deeply, the minute hairs in its nostrils sorting through multitudes of different scents, until it picked up a most unusual but appetizing scent. It was strange, unfamiliar, to the Beast. It could smell meat, but there were other smells mixed in, odors that he had never encountered before. Whatever it was, it smelled _good,_ and in an instant the Beast had determined to fill its belly with the mysterious substance.

Using its knuckles in the manner of the Great Apes, the Beast easily leapt across open space, landing with awe-inspiring grace on the rooftop across the street. It sniffed the air again, its nose homing in on the smell like a beacon. There, to the west, that was where the sumptuous aroma was originating. Again and again, the creature launched itself from building to building, its mouth watering as the wondrous aroma grew stronger with every stride.

The same loping strides that took the Beast, ever closer, to the Teen Titans' favorite pizza parlor.

AN: Uh, oh…I think the pizza folks are in for a nasty surprise! Fear not, my friends, for the next chapter will be up very, very soon! ^^

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	4. Chapter 4

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 4: Hunter

The Pizza Place was widely renowned to have the best deep-dish pizzas in all of Jump City. Its award winning platters of steaming, stringy goodness had won countless awards in some of the nation's most distinguished culinary magazines. It was a place that welcomed all age groups: teenagers and college students ate side by side with elderly patrons who had been frequenting the establishment for years. The eager, hungry cries of young children mingled with the clink of glasses and cutlery, the hiss of the brick oven, and the sharp fizzing sound of cola as glasses were endlessly refilled. A feeling of carefree cheerfulness prevailed in this merry place, as the waiters and hostesses joked and chatted with the diners, many of whom they knew by name. Truly family-oriented restaurant if ever there was one.

So much the better, then, that the restaurant's customers and staff were completely ignorant of what was about to descend upon them.

The Beast huffed and panted, its paws barely touching the pavement, ignoring the cries and screams of startled pedestrians as it hurtled down the sidewalk, carelessly toppling over a mailbox that got too close. The terrified citizens weren't so much ignored by the Beast as they were beneath notice. It had only one goal on its mind, and it could not take time to acknowledge the protestations of the weakling humans.

The Beast was hungry, and not just in the physical sense. This hunger was far more complicated, gnawing its way to every fiber of its being, consuming him utterly in its endless folds. Every pore of its body cried out for fresh prey, every follicle of its fur screamed at it to alleviate the starvation it felt. Over and over again, the Beast briefly considered devouring several of the tantalizingly scared passersby, but its attention was all too soon recaptured by the marvelous scent that drew it in like a trout on a fisherman's line. The creature didn't know what the smell was coming from, nor did it care; its only concern on Earth was to fill its belly, to enjoy the finer things in life.

The smell grew stronger now as it turned the corner, and the Beast momentarily stopped to once again get its bearings. Its nose twitched like an in-built GPS system, seeking and searching….There, down the street, that was its destination. The Beast knew intuitively that the gaily colored building with the glowing neon signs was where it would find food. Saliva gathered in puddles on the asphalt, and it snarled as it picked up the pace, the smell growing stronger with every passing second.

The unsuspecting diners screamed in fright and surprise as the Beast, disdaining the door, crashed through the gaudily painted window, its fanged mouth slobbering and snarling as it gazed keenly about for a meal. A rather unfortunate chef had been taking a fresh sausage pizza out of the oven as the Beast made its dramatic exit, and now the creature's head turned eerily towards him as the Beast glanced at the fresh food balefully.

The cook sobbed in terror, dropping the dish from his nerveless hands and hastily joined the mass exodus through the restaurant's exit. The Beast forgot him instantly, and shuffled across the rapidly-emptying diner's floor to inspect the abandoned pizza, which was still steaming from the oven's embrace.

It cocked its head curiously, almost birdlike; this round object was certainly like no prey he'd come across before. The Beast poked it roughly with a razor-sharp claw, and the furry digit came away covered with cheese. The pizza, however, remained unresponsive. Having assured itself that the delicacy was of no threat to it, the Beast bent his head and gingerly ran his tongue over his latest meal.

Its eyes widened in surprise and delight. This was much better than deer or cow, tangy but robust. Sauce and stringy bits of cheese splattered the walls as the Beast began to gorge itself, practically inhaling the entire dish. It licked the sauce from its fangs, and cast about for more: the first helping had only whetted the Beast's appetite. The creature ripped the oven door clean off its hinges, throwing it haphazardly over its shoulder. But disappointment greeted its investigation; the oven was empty. A growl escaped the Beast's throat. There had to be more here somewhere.

Its burning eyes roved over the empty tables, laden as they were with fresh food. If it had been able to, the Beast would have squealed for joy; practically every white tablecloth had some delectable dish or another piled high on its surface. It stalked over to the nearest one, sniffing a half-eaten plate of fettuccini alfredo thoroughly. It wrinkled its nose, for there was no meat to be found here. Moving on, it consumed a generous helping of pasta with meatballs (including the plate). The Beast went about sating its appetite, trashing the restaurant with disturbing thoroughness as it sought helping after helping.

So absorbed was the Beast in its meal that it never noticed the figure watching it across the street.

"I got a visual on BB," Cyborg said into his communicator. "I'm sending you the coordinates now."'

"The pizza parlor?" Robin's voice came back incredulous. "What's he doing there?"

Cyborg held his arm up, scanning the graphs on the screen with a practiced, mechanical eye. "The transformation is taking its toll. In his beast form, the grass stain's burning through calories and nutrients at an accelerated rate, and this requires him to eat almost constantly. Otherwise, he'll burn out."

"Burn out?" Robin asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that if BB stays in this form too long or runs out of gas, he'll die," Cyborg replied grimly. "The transformation wasn't smooth, like his other ones. If we don't take him down soon, the strain on his body will destroy him from the inside out."

"Understood," Robin said. "We're on our way. Let us know if he starts moving again."

Raven's strained monotone cut Robin off. "Let me try to talk to him first. I don't think he'll try to hurt me."

Cyborg shook his head. "No, that's way too dangerous, Rae. Right now, Beast Boy's completely unpredictable. We can't take that chance."

"Then why hasn't he eaten anyone?" Raven shot back. "He's had a dozen chances to kill, yet he's come to that restaurant, where he won't hurt anyone. And pizza is Beast Boy's favorite food. _He's still there, Cyborg. His human limitations are still in place!"_

"I agree with Raven," Starfire said over the radio. "It is always wise to try talking before coming to blows. The Beast saved Raven's life, after all; maybe he will listen to her."

Robin's voice was grudging. "Fine, but the minute he makes a wrong move, we're going in. Understood?"

"Transparently," Raven said in her dry monotone. "I'm teleporting to your location now, Cyborg."

"Roger that," Cyborg replied, then his tone turned soft.

"I hope this works, Rae…"

A/N: Uh, oh! What will happen to Raven when she confronts the Beast? And whatever became of the unfortunate Mumbo? Find out in the next chapter!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	5. Chapter 5

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 5: Animal or Man?

Raven tried to keep her mask of bored indifference intact as she softly trod on the now-ruined sidewalk; the cracks in the pavement gave an all-too-clear indication that the Beast had gone this way. Her dark blue cloak fluttered behind her, and a cold, foreboding wind sent chills down Raven's spine.

Or it could have been the fear. She wasn't sure.

Raven forced such thoughts out of her head, trying vainly to stuff her apprehension into a corner of her mind. But the simple fact was, the Beast scared her: it had been willing to almost kill Mumbo to protect her. Never in her life had Raven seen the kind of wanton brutality the Beast had shown as it thrashed the villainous magician to the brink of death. She shuddered as she remembered its feral smile, its growl of pleasure as Mumbo had begged, bleeding and broken, for mercy. That was nothing like the Beast Boy she knew.

The Beast Boy Raven knew was merry in every sense of the word. He had grown into a man following the Brotherhood's defeat, and now stood a good few inches taller than her. Raven marveled at how much he'd matured: leading the remaining Titans against the Brain's stronghold in France had brought out extraordinary leadership qualities in Beast Boy. Though he was still very goofy, he was no longer the wisecracking dork that Raven remembered him to be.

Though she'd rather die than admit it to any other living soul, Raven had been looking rather differently at Beast Boy. She'd noticed, for the first time, the way his jumpsuit fitted his shoulders, the way his smile seemed to light up the room, how his mere presence sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. In the back of her mind, Raven was sure that this was what Cyborg had called a "crush".

Raven shook her head. A crush? On HIM? What was she coming to?

Yet a rebellious part of her WANTED to see what would happen, WANTED to find out if she and Beast Boy could be more than friends, given time. The thought was exciting, but the fact was that being involved with someone else terrified Raven. She had absolutely no experience with such things, having been a loner most of her life, yet Beast Boy, whom she'd always looked down on, was able to bring out such intense emotions in her.

The smell of pizza and marinara sauce assailed Raven's nostrils as she approached the ruined window of what had once been a famous pizza kitchen. Noises were clearly audible from inside: metal crashing, glass shattering, sauce spattering on the walls as the Beast sated his appetite.

Raven drew in a deep breath. _Please, let this work, _she prayed silently as she stepped through the doorway.

Meanwhile, the Beast was thoroughly enjoying itself. This kind of hunting was so much easier than running down deer or elk; it had maximum yield with minimum expenditure of energy. Marinara sauce dripped and dribbled down the fur around its mouth and chin, giving it a deranged appearance, and its jaws worked with mechanical efficiency as it devoured half a pizza in one massive gulp. It licked its long claws in an almost delicate fashion, and its rough pink tongue made a rasping sound as the Beast cleaned its fur for the umpteenth time.

Just because it was a super-predator didn't mean it had to look sloppy, after all.

The Beast tossed the empty platter over its shoulder and was about to inhale a dish of raw sausage when a familiar voice made it stop in its tracks.

"Beast Boy?"

The creature froze. Its first assumption was that another male had begun to encroach on its territory, but that conclusion was just as quickly discarded. No, the voice was familiar, female, and the Beast's ears twitched like radar dishes as it tried to pinpoint the direction from which the voice had come. Slowly, very slowly, it turned around, and Raven shuddered at the sight of the Beast. Here, in front of her, was a being that embodied Nature in all her unrivaled, dog-eat-dog savagery, from its razor-sharp claws to its conical fangs, all the way down to the furry feet that supported it like tree trunks.

Raven gathered up her courage. "It's me, Raven. Your friend."

The Beast cocked its head, almost parrot-like, its burning gaze piercing Raven to her core. Then, very slowly, dragging its huge knuckles, the creature started to come closer.

Though Raven had no way of knowing it, the Beast's heart was soaring. Its mate was safe! Victory had been won this day, and the foolish human who'd dared to harm her had paid for his folly in blood! Its catlike eyes seemed to soften as it got closer and closer, its large, leathery nose twitching minutely.

Raven tried to swallow the fear that started to grip her. Did Beast Boy recognize her in his current state? Was there enough time to save him before his body gave out altogether? She shut here eyes tightly, barely daring to breathe as the Beast thrust its fearsome visage just centimeters away from hers. Raven could smell its hot, rancid breath, and she could physically feel its eyes upon her.

Raven need not have worried, for violence was the farthest thing from the Beast's mind right now. Slowly, carefully, and methodically, it proceeded to sniff over every inch of Raven's body, using senses on a scale unthinkable to humans to assure itself that Raven was indeed unharmed. The girl in front of him stood stock-still as he inspected her for even the tiniest injury, and the Beast could smell Raven's fear.

It paused momentarily. Normally, fear was a good smell, an almost intoxicating drug that made the thrill of the hunt all the more enjoyable, but this fear-scent was different. It was not at all enjoyable, in fact it as almost noxious to the Beast. Its eyes narrowed in confusion and it whuffed softly. Why was she afraid of him?

Raven dared to speak, forcing her eyes open, her violet pupils looking into the green ones above her. "It's time to go home, Beast Boy," she said gently, not wanting to alarm him. It didn't bear thinking about what the Beast could do when it was scared.

The Beast's ears twitched again. Home? Flashes of the Tower, of Beast Boy's friends, rose unbidden in its mind. Somewhere, in its shaggy head, his human half began to stir. The young man whose body the Beast had "borrowed" began to claw his way out of the subconscious.

Raven, growing bolder, laid a hand on the creature's hairy forearm. "You need to come back," she said. "Everyone's worried about you, Beast Boy."

A growl rose in the Beast's throat, and Raven was momentarily petrified with fear, but her terror turned to wonder as the noise turned into slurred speech, made almost indecipherable by the Beast's non-human vocal cords.

"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrraven," the Beast moaned, as contortions began to shake its furry body. She could hear his bones groan and creak as they decreased in size, fur began to vanish inside the creature's skin, and very slowly, it began to grow shorter. The Beast's ferocious muzzle vanished into its face, its claws became human fingernails, and its huge foot paws separated and merged into human toes. The fearsome fangs in its mouth decreased in length, and then vanished altogether, and with a final agonized groan, Beast Boy collapsed into Raven's arms.

Knowing that no one was around to see her, she gently stroked her hands through his hair. "It's okay, Beast Boy," Raven said in her usual deadpan tones. "It's over." Inwardly, she felt herself blush at having Beast Boy's body so close to hers, but any enjoyment was cut off as her communicator beeped.

"Raven?" Robin's voice was tired. "Did you get through to him? Do you need backup?"

The ghost of a smile hovered around the girl's face. "No, we're both fine," she said. "But we should probably get him back to the Tower, and soon."

"Understood," Robin replied. "We'll meet up with you in a few minutes. Cyborg will bring the first-aid kit from the T-Car."

But his words were lost on Raven. Beast Boy, her friend and secret crush, was commanding all of her attention.

The full moon shone down through the broken glass of a nearby window.

But this time, there was nothing threatening about it.

A/N: Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry it took a few days, but I have schoolwork to do, and that always comes first, you know? Anyway, I'll try to have the next installment up as soon as I can! ^^ What will become of Beast Boy? Will he and Raven ever admit their feelings to each other? And will the Beast force its way out again? All this and more in coming chapters of "Rise of the Beast"!

Your humble servant,

-Quill


	6. Chapter 6

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 6: Nightmares and Daydreams

It was pain that finally roused Beast Boy from his comatose state. Every part of his body was aching and sore, he hurt in places he didn't know he had. Beast Boy's green eyes opened blearily, and his vision was blurry and unfocused, such was his exhaustion after his transformation the previous evening. A dark silhouette loomed in the corner of Beast Boy's line of sight as his tired eyes began to focus, and the first thing that came to his mind was that he was being looked after by a ministering angel.

But it was only Raven dabbing his forehead with a warm, damp rag.

Her worried expression vanished instantly as Beast Boy gazed at her, as if unwilling to admit her concern for him. Though Raven spoke in her trademark drone, the worry and anxiety she had been feeling was still there, evident in the ragged edges of her voice.

"You're awake," Raven stated. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd gone into a coma."

Beast Boy sat up, but fell back onto the sheets of his bed as a wave of nausea overwhelmed him. "What happened?" he asked. "I remember fighting Mumbo, and then…nothing."

"You had a relapse," Raven replied. "Your primal side took over when Mumbo tried to kill me."

The color drained from Beast Boy's face. "Is he…?"

"He's alive, if that's what you mean," Raven said. "He's a wreck, and he's unconscious, but he'll get over it eventually. This is surprising, considering that the Beast threw him out a window."

"What? I could never…" Beast Boy's voice began to crack with anguish. "I know he's a jerk, Raven, but I don't want him dead!"

"You may not, but the Beast, apparently, has no such compunctions," Raven said as she dipped the rag into the bowl of lukewarm water. Her voice had a barely detectable tenderness in it. "But you're safe, and that's what matters."

"I didn't hurt anyone else, did I?" Beast Boy was on the verge of panicking, his eyes wide with fear.

"Well, you kicked Robin's tail pretty thoroughly when he tried to stop you, and you leveled our favorite pizza parlor, but other than that, no," Raven said, but then she turned serious. "It's fortunate that you reverted back to your human form when you did, Beast Boy. Otherwise, Cyborg says the stress on your body would have killed you."

"Dying isn't that high on my to-do list," he replied weakly, trying in vain to smile.

Raven pushed him back down again. "Rest. Your transformation has left you weak. I'd be surprised if you're even able to stand. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," Beast Boy said, grinning, and then he addressed Raven as if talking to a waitress. "I'll have a tofu burger with soy sauce, please."

"Smart-ass," Raven grumbled as she got up from her stool. "Wait here."

"As if I can do otherwise," Beast Boy replied cheerfully as she exited the Tower's sickbay.

Raven's lithe form vanished through the pneumatic doors as Cyborg arrived to take her place, followed by Starfire, who had a worried expression on her pretty features.

"Yo, B!" Cyborg said. "You had us all worried, man. I was starting to think you'd never wake up!"

"Please, friend," Starfire added, biting her lip, "You are feeling better?"

"I wouldn't say that, Star," Beast Boy said. "I feel like I got hit by a train."

"Better than winding up dead," Cyborg pointed out. "Which is what would have happened if Raven hadn't triggered your reversion."

"Raven did that?" Beast Boy asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Cyborg smirked."And she's been sitting in here with you ever since we brought you in. Rae hasn't left your side for more than five minutes, dude."

"And just how long have I been out, Cy?"

"Three days."

"THREE DAYS?" Beast Boy's voice rose an octave. "She's been in here all that time?"

"Yup." The implied statement in Cyborg's voice was unmistakable. "She cares about you, but it'd be like pullin' teeth to get her to admit it."

"Raven has been most diligent in her vigil over you," Starfire added. "We have all been very worried, but her concern was the greatest."

"What are you guys doing?" Raven's voice cut through the conversation like a saw blade. "Please leave. Beast Boy won't recover if you keep him up like this."

Cyborg struggled to keep the smugness from his face, but left without another word. Starfire, oblivious to what was going on, followed him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Here." Raven handed her friend a sandwich smothered in soy sauce, which Beast Boy grabbed for eagerly. "Eat. You need to rebuild your strength."

"And so do you, after being in her for three days," Beast Boy said slyly.

Raven's eyes widened, but then the purple pupils narrowed dangerously. Cyborg would be losing his limbs long before they needed to be replaced. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said firmly, averting her head so Beast Boy couldn't see her blush. "I've got some…uh…stuff to do," she added, hurrying out the door as if pursued by Trigon himself.

"What's with her?" Beast Boy asked, his confused tones echoing through the now-empty room. "Caring about your friends is nothing to be ashamed of, dude." He reached for his glass of soy milk and drained it with a single massive gulp. Beast Boy brought the cold glass to his face, intending on using its cold surface to soothe his aching head-

But his green eyes narrowed at the reflection that stared back at him. It was not his own.

"You just can't give me a break, can you?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"On the contrary," the Beast said from its place on the side of the cup. "I merely wanted to thank you for allowing me my little excursion the other night. It was most…invigorating."

"You almost killed Mumbo!" Beast Boy couldn't keep the indignation from his voice.

"Almost?" his alter ego replied. "I suppose I'll have to be more thorough next time."

"Get lost," Beast Boy snarled. "You got what you wanted, now leave me alone!"

"I don't think so," the Beast chortled. "Now that I have tasted freedom, I want more of it. Just as, deep down, you desire the strength and speed that my form gives you."

"Liar," Beast Boy hissed.

"Pull the other leg, it plays 'Jingle Bells'," it replied. "You want it just as much as I do, Garfield. You simply won't admit it. In the darkest corner of your mind, _you know full well that you let me out all by yourself. _You wanted to see that fool suffer for hurting Raven. You embraced me of your own free will, and you will do so again."

"You're just trying to mess with my head," Beast Boy said.

"Am I? Look inside yourself, and you will know that I speak the truth."

"People could have been hurt!"

The Beast's tone was utterly uncaring. "So? They are insignificant, compared to us. You and I are so much…_more _than them, Garfield. You know in your heart that we are one and the same, and the sooner you come to terms with that, the better off you'll be."

"Go away," Beast Boy growled. "You're the last living thing I want to see right now, dude."

"And I suppose Raven tops that list?" it asked, its eyes twinkling like stars of malevolence. "You and your silly human rules! Just take her and be done with it!"

"Never," Beast Boy replied quietly. "I can't do a thing like that to Raven."

The Beast grinned toothily. "I could."

"Raven doesn't feel that way about me," Beast Boy added. "She probably thinks I'm just a dork. She deserves far, far better than someone like me."

Outside the metal doors that marked the hospital's entrance, Raven's eyes widened as Beast Boy's words burned into her.

"You couldn't be more wrong, Beast Boy," Raven whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 7: Revelations

Raven barely remembered stumbling down the hall to her room. She didn't even realize where she was until the metal door closed behind her with a pneumatic hiss. Raven paid no attention to the noise; her brain was too busy reeling from what she had accidentally overheard while bringing her friend a fresh pair of bandages.

Raven's first and most automatic conclusion was that Beast Boy's more primal side was growing more powerful every day, to the point where Beast Boy had quite literally begun talking to himself. If the Beast could manifest itself to its host like that, then the situation was grave indeed. Raven mentally kicked herself for not realizing this sooner; surely the psychic backlash she had felt when Beast Boy had been carried back to the Tower on a gurney should have tipped her off to his distressed mental state. The creature had begun to squirm and chafe from its box inside Beast Boy's head, and Raven had no doubt that its first taste of freedom had left it lusting for more, the same way a smoker wanted more after his first cigarette. The Beast wanted out, wanted to assume full and permanent control of Beast Boy's body.

And if that happened, then God help them all.

It wasn't that the Beast was _evil_, per se, Raven reflected. It was more like a force of nature, an utterly primal being that cared little for the petty everyday concerns of humans. Raven sensed that the Beast was ruled by instinct, not conscience, acted by impulse, not thought. If it wanted to kill or mate or mark its territory (ew), then it would, and that was that. Added to this was the undisputable fact that if the Beast did indeed achieve totally mastery of its host, then the Beast Boy she knew would utterly cease to exist. The very thought of life without her smiling friend made Raven's heart wrench.

That, in turn, brought Raven to her second, far more personal conclusion: Beast Boy was in love with her. He had admitted it himself, though Raven was sure that he wouldn't have done so if he'd known she was right outside the door. The thought was flattering, exciting, and utterly terrifying all at the same time, especially to someone as emotionally repressed as Raven.

For as long as she could remember, Raven had always found it necessary to keep a tight rein on her emotions, so as to avoid collateral damage to anything in a ten –foot radius. She had never allowed herself to feel anger or frustration or happiness.

The sad fact was, she had never felt love before.

Affection? Certainly. Friendship? Of course.

But never had Raven known love.

But, now that her demon father had been sent back to Hell, Raven was under no such restrictions. Though she had initially been elated at dear old Dad's demise, Raven had all too soon slipped once again behind her monotonous façade for no other reason than force of habit. Repressing her feelings was the only way Raven knew how to live, and the thought of expressing joy and anger terrified her. She wasn't even sure how to go about doing such things.

But still, despite her fear and apprehension, the prospect of a relationship with Beast Boy was not altogether unappetizing.

Her friend had grown up, plain and simple. Leading the remaining Titans against the Brain had matured him in leaps and bounds, not just emotionally but physically as well. Beast Boy had grown more than three inches so far, and his once-scrawny form was almost completely replaced with muscle that was not unpleasing to the eye.

She may have been Trigon's daughter, but Raven was still human. And, being human, she had begun to notice things about Beast Boy that had escaped her before, like how the fang sticking out of his mouth made him look adorable, or the way his eyes danced when he thought of a new prank.

There was no point in denying it further. Raven had a huge crush on Beast Boy. He sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, her skin tingled with electricity at his touch, and he sent thoughts and emotions coursing through her that no one else had.

The only problem was going about telling him all this. Raven had absolutely no experience in matters of romantic nature; she didn't even know where to begin, even though her heart had soared for a brief instant when Raven had discovered her feelings were, in fact, mutual. _How does one go about_ _these sorts of things? _Raven wondered. _Maybe Starfire could help. Or should I talk to Beast Boy first? This stuff is so confusing…_

She sighed out loud and sank into her favorite chair. What was she to do? Once again, Raven considered asking Starfire for advice, but the point would be moot: Robin had been the one to initiate that particular relationship, so Star would probably be as lost as she was. The Tamaranian princess had been spared the confusion Raven was now experiencing.

She scowled. "Someone should write a guide book for this stuff," Raven grumbled. "Why are these things never clear?"

Then inspiration hit her, and Raven's violet pupils widened. "Maybe I don't know what to do, but my _other _selves might."

On reaching this conclusion, Raven sat cross-legged on the floor, taking a deep cleansing breath as she began her meditation. The process was as familiar as blinking by now; Raven had long since mastered the ability to go into a trance whenever the situation required it. With an ease borne of years of practice, the young hero felt herself slip into the dark recesses of her mind. The world seemed farther and farther away…

_Raven opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by all-too-familiar scenery. Jagged boulders of varying sizes hung in the air around her, and the sky was a swirling, sifting reddish color. Her boots crunched softly on the tiny rocks underfoot, but Raven's footsteps halted as her own voice sounded in her ears._

"_Hello again, Raven."_

_She turned around, and Raven found her path blocked by over a dozen differently colored versions of herself, each with a different countenance or expression on her features. Several she recognized: Knowledge was absorbed in a heavy volume, and didn't even notice when Playful slapped a "Kick Me" sign on the back of her dusty brown cloak._

_Raven summoned up her courage. "I've come for advice," she said._

"_About Beast Boy?" Playful asked. "Finally! We were all beginning to think you'd NEVER get around to it!"_

_Another emotion, this one clad in soft lavender, blinked demurely at her. When she spoke, her voice was a silky purr, not unlike a cat's. "Yes, he is a rather fine piece of merchandise, isn't he, girls? Did you see those muscles? Yum!"_

"_Stop it, Lust!" Knowledge snapped as Raven's face turned crimson. "There is no reason to bring *that* into this discussion!"_

"_Spoilsport," Lust pouted._

"_So you like him," Knowledge continued. "And you came to us, specifically me, for guidance, right? You don't know what to do with these feelings, now that Trigon has been vanquished."_

_Raven felt suddenly self-conscious. "Yes."_

"_I hate to tell you this, but you came to the wrong place," Knowledge said. "My expertise is in the scholarly arts, in matters relating to the mind. But this is a query that no amount of analysis and research can solve, Raven. All the books in the world could not definitively describe what you are feeling. This is a matter of the heart, and it is there you will find the answers you seek. Think with your heart, Raven, and not with your brain."_

"_Yeah!" Playful said. "And while you're at it, stop being so darn logical all the time. Live a little, girl! Sniff the roses, pet a puppy, but no matter what, just try to enjoy yourself!" She shoved Raven roughly-_

And the confused hero opened her eyes, finding herself surrounded once more by the familiar Gothic décor of her room.

Raven scowled. "A fat lot of help _they _were," she grumbled, but further complaining was cut off when Starfire rapped sharply on Raven's door.

The metal surface slid aside only slightly, and Raven's purple eyes met Starfire's green ones.

"What is it?" Raven asked tiredly.

"Forgive the disturbance," Starfire replied. "But Beast Boy wishes to see you."

Raven's heart instantly plummeted, and a nervous film of sweat covered her palms.

_Oh, shit._

A/N: Hey, everyone! I know it's a short chapter, but I needed to get this out of the way before I could post the next one. Will the Beast take over our hero's body once more? What does Beast Boy want with Raven? And will she ever tell him how she feels? All this and more in coming chapters!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque

(P.S. To all those BB/Rae fans out there: Yes, Beast Boy and Raven WILL admit their feelings, but when and where is for me to know and you to find out! XD)


	8. Chapter 8

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 8: A Most Awkward Conversation

There are several different kinds of fear.

There is the primal fear, which can shake a grown man to his core and make him petrify with fright. It sends terror flooding through every cell in a person's body. Then there is the slow dread, when one is fully aware of what is about to happen, yet he is unable to stop it; the fear hangs over the poor soul's head like a dark thundercloud, keeping him awake at night and suffusing his days with melancholy. Finally, there is the fear known as anxiety, when one's nerves have been run ragged, when desperation eats away at him like a corrosive acid and his heart goes from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds.

It was anxiety that Beast Boy was feeling now, if only for one simple reason.

Raven had been outside his door, during that little conversation with his animalistic alter-ego. Beast Boy had heard her footsteps running away had smelled the fresh bandages drop onto the floor in her shock. Which brought to mind a simple question: how much did she know?

The most immediate problem was that of his distressed psychological condition. If any living being was in tune with such things, it was Raven. Beast Boy was not prepared to dismiss the possibility that she had long since deduced what was troubling him, even before the unfortunate events of the other evening. Certainly it would take little effort for Raven to sense the disturbed mental vibes he was undoubtedly giving off. Her powers were so acute that, if she wasn't already aware of his feelings, she could easily pick up the thoughts that flashed through his head whenever Beast Boy looked at her. Was it possible that his "secret" feelings had never even been a secret?

Beast Boy felt his heart clench like a fist. What was he going to do if Raven had overheard him give voice to his romantic intentions toward her? The idea was terrifying, for Raven was perhaps the least romantically inclined person on Earth. There was a good possibility that she would reject his feelings outright, dismissing them offhandedly as products of his recent maturity. If that happened, their relationship would end before it had even begun, and their friendship could die as well!

He clenched his teeth. It wasn't fair; he had wanted to tell Raven his feelings on his own, in a time and place of HIS choosing. Now, due to his own damn carelessness, Beast Boy had been denied that opportunity, if indeed Raven had heard him talking to himself.

It was all the Beast's fault, the hero thought furiously. That monster was denying him everything in its bid for freedom, subtly whittling away at the foundations of his everyday life. Beast Boy felt furious anger seethe within him: there would be a reckoning for this, sooner or later. He would force the Beast back into its putrid hole, come hell or high water!

Righteous anger aside, there was still the problem of dealing with Raven. Not wanting to prolong his anxiety, Beast Boy had decided to tackle the problem head-on: by talking to Raven directly, dropping subtle hints that she would only pick up if she was "informed". Otherwise, she would merely think he called her in here for another glass of soy milk.

_**Clever, little hunter, but you deny what you already know.**_

Beast Boy stiffened, and when he spoke, his voice was a harsh grate. "What do you want now, you bastard? What more can you possibly take away from me?"

_**I'm sure I can think of a few things.**_

"Shut up."

_**You only wish me gone because I am telling you what you do not want to hear. Your childish stupidity has informed Raven for your so-called "feelings", Garfield. You know this to be true.**_

"She might not have heard," Beast Boy said weakly.

_**Who do you think you are fooling, boy? She knows, and there is nothing you can do to change that fact. But you do not realize that she could have been yours by now.**_

"You know, some of us aren't obsessed with sex."

_**And some of us take a working body of their own for granted! If not for your concern for her puny "feelings", she would have been your mate long before now. In the wild, mates are taken by brute force. Why should this be any different? If you would only shed your human inhibitions, whelp, then you would find life to be much less complicated. You cling to mating rituals like "dating" and "marriage", you obey the human customs, but you have no need to abide by them! You are not of the humans, Garfield. You never were.**_

"You sick son of a…" Beast Boy couldn't finish the sentence; such was his abhorrence at the Beast.

_**Oh, please. You forget that I hear, smell, see and feel everything that you do. I have seen the way you look at her, boy. You may not want to admit it, but you desire her as much as I do.**_

"I desire Raven for RAVEN, not for her body," Beast Boy snarled.

_**Nevertheless…**_

"Beast Boy?" Raven's voice brought him back to reality. "Starfire said you wanted to see me. Did you need something?"

_**Awww, how sweet…**_

_**You are such an idiot. Take her! Now!**_

"Drop the act. I know what's been going on," Raven stated, and Beast Boy's heart plunged into his chest as his face turned fiery.

"You do?"

"You've been struggling with your primal side, right?"

Beast Boy struggled not to let the relief show on his face, but at the same time, his tone was ashamed. "Yeah, you could say that."

Raven lifted a finger underneath his chin, tilting his head upward. "Look at me, Beast Boy."

His green eyes met her purple ones, and Raven had to struggle to maintain coherent speech. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Looking back, I guess we should have been expecting it. After all, a creature like the Beast won't just curl up and fade away."

_**She speaks the truth, boy.**_

Raven's friend shook his head, as if buzzed by a fly, as she continued. "My theory is that it finally broke down the psychic barriers that kept it at bay. If you like, I can teach you to rebuild them, Beast Boy, through meditation and mental exercise. It will be hard, and it will take time, but it can be done."

"You'd do that?" Beast Boy asked grateful at both Raven's offer of help and the opportunity to spend time alone with her.

"Sure." Raven shrugged, trying to hide the disappointment that washed over her (Privately, she had been hoping all along that Beast Boy would come clean and tell her how he felt) . "What are friends for?"

"Y-Yeah," Beast Boy had to fight to keep his voice from cracking. "So I guess you'll be teaching me to meditate and stuff?"

"Among other things," Raven replied. "If we work hard enough, we can force the Beast back into your head."

_**You wouldn't dare! **_

The changeling smiled. "I'll do whatever it takes, Rae."

The Beast's voice was dripping with fury. _**You'll regret this, boy! Just wait until I'm out again! You will pay in blood for daring to challenge me, I will make every waking moment of your life a living nightmare! I will kill each and every one of your pitiful human "friends", and you will wake up tasting their blood! This isn't over, whelp! My TIME WILL COME!**_

Raven tried not to shudder as her psychic abilities picked up the raw anger of the Beast's tirade. Her violet eyes were surprisingly gentle as she sat down on the bed next to her friend, their hands just inches apart. Both Raven and Beast Boy itched to take each others' hands into their own, but their timidity prevented them from acting. As the two heroes sat side by side in the awkwardly silent infirmary, they were both thinking the same thing:

_Can't we be more than just friends?_


	9. Chapter 9

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 9: Meditation For Dummies

Beast Boy knocked timidly on the door of Raven's room, trying in vain to quell the stormy mixture of fear and anticipation that roiled in his belly. His gloved fingers rapped softly on the shining metal, and almost instantly Raven's violet eyes looked up at his own.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Raven drawled.

Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, I was, uh…"

Raven shook her head, her dark hair swishing in front of her face in the way that Beast Boy found adorable. "Forget it," she said. "We have a lot of work to do."

Beast Boy's mind automatically flashed back to their conversation the day before, where Raven had agreed to teach him the meditative arts in an effort to shove the Beast back in its proverbial box. _How hard could it be?_ Beast Boy thought. _It's not, like, rocket science or anything._

Raven motioned him inside with a businesslike air, gesturing toward a spot on the floor as the door hissed shut behind them. "You may as well get comfortable, Beast Boy. We're going to be here awhile."

Beast Boy stared at the floor of Raven's room. The once-barren tiles were now emblazoned in three concentric circles, and inside each of these were row upon row of ancient runes, which glowed softly in the dimness of their own volition. Candles cast a flickering light on Beast Boy's surroundings, and the gentle dripping of hot wax could clearly be heard as Raven flipped through one of her books. All in all, it made for quite an eerie atmosphere.

"What is this, an exorcism?" Beast Boy joked.

"No," Raven replied as she took a bowl of sweet-smelling herbs from a shelf. "This is a Circle of Meditation, Beast Boy. It will act as an amplifier and allow you to meditate more easily. I could do it by myself, but it's dangerous for a novice to attempt deep meditation unaided. You could go into a coma, or worse."

Beast Boy pointed at the symbols. "What are those for?"

"The inscriptions are a safety measure," Raven said. "In case the Beast takes control of you. If that happens, the enchantment will keep it imprisoned inside the Circle until I can bring you back. Now sit down," she added, pointing toward the pentacle in the Circle's center.

"So what do I do?" the changeling asked.

"You need to find your 'center'," Raven replied, taking a seat next to him, albeit outside the Circle's perimeter. "Measure your breathing, for a start."

Beast Boy tried to ignore the way his heart started pounding in his chest with Raven so close. He took a deep, cleansing breath, and as if on cue all the muscles in his body relaxed.

"Good," Raven said, nodding approvingly. "Now, this is the tricky part. You need to find a way to enter your own mind, where the Beast dwells. Concentrate, but let your thoughts wander."

Raven's voice seemed to echo from far away, and Beast Boy felt as if he was being pulled along the floor. Farther and farther away he got, until…

_Beast Boy found himself in the middle of a hot, steamy jungle. Brilliantly colored flowers exploded from the underbrush, and the chatter of countless bids echoed deafeningly from the canopy above. Sweat trickled down the back of Beast Boy's neck, and the his ears twitched. He was not alone here._

_The voice that rasped from the forest around him was all too familiar._

"_You are brave, little hunter, to venture inside my domain. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"_

"_I came here to show you that I'm not afraid of you," Beast Boy snapped. "You have no power over me! I won't let you!"_

"_Wrong on both counts, I'm afraid," the Beast replied. "I would not be talking to you right now if you hadn't given me the strength to do so. If you hadn't longed for the strength I can bestow upon you, I would have vanished long after the incident with the whelp Adonis. I am only here because you want me here. Deny it all you like, but you know I speak the truth."_

"_Right," Beast Boy snorted. "So you'll just go away if I ask you to?"_

_The Beast smirked. It wasn't a pretty sight. "Life just isn't fair, is it, Garfield? You let your parents die because you could not control your powers properly, you had your heart broken by the first person you ever loved, and now you are too timid and afraid to open yourself up to Raven."_

"_SHUT UP!" Beast Boy shouted. "You don't know what you're talking about!"_

"_I can read your memories like a book, Garfield. I know EXACTLY what I'm talking about." The Beast seemed to blur for an instant, and Beast Boy found his windpipe being crushed by its massive, bony fist._

"_You and I are one, Garfield," it hissed. "Your friends already know this. Have you seen the way they look at you? Have you noticed their fearful glances whenever you walk into a room? They no longer see YOU, boy. They see ME! And so does Raven!"_

_Beast Boy began turning an unhealthy bluish-green, gasping and choking for air…_

Raven glanced worriedly at her friend, who had begun to sweat and shiver violently, mouthing inaudible exclamations as he fought his inner demons. She frantically waved a hand in front of his face. "Beast Boy? Are you all right? BEAST BOY!"

The changeling opened his eyes, but the deep tones that issued forth from Beast Boy's mouth were not his own. His head turned slowly, eerily, as if on hinges, and a dark smile flitted across his face.

"He's not in at the moment," the Beast replied, grinning dangerously as his eyes danced. "Can I take a message?"

Raven's eyes widened in horror. "You're the monster that's been tormenting my friend."

"Yes, yes I am, but I think we both know that the term 'friend' isn't strong enough."

Raven fought in vain to keep from blushing. "I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, please," the Beast snorted. "Who are you trying to fool, Raven? You know full well how you feel for him."

"So? What's your point?"

"My point, dearest Raven, is that poor Beast Boy is afraid. His heart still hurts from Terra's betrayal, and his fear of rejection will make him distance himself from you. And, more importantly, you haven't really encouraged him to make any advances, have you?"

"I…" Raven was momentarily lost for words.

" 'Statistically, I suppose someone has to,' " the Beast quoted in a ridiculously exaggerated falsetto voice. " 'Beast Boy has a brain?' 'You're green, your ears are pointed, and you have fangs!' Oh, yes, you've been SUCH a good friend to Beast Boy, putting him down like that all the time," it finished sarcastically. "The mystery of why he wants anything to do with you is beyond even _my_ considerable intelligence."

"He's forgiven me for that," Raven said, her voice shaking. "He told me."

"Did he? _Did he really?_" The Beast asked, his eyes sparkling with malevolent glee. "Deep down, in the darkest corners of Beast Boy's mind, the bitterness is still there, Raven. I know this to be true, for I have seen it. He still feels the sting of your poisoned words, no matter what he 'tells you'. It is for this reason, above all else, that Beast Boy will _never _be yours."

Raven looked away as her vision blurred. "No. It's not true."

The Beast laughed with her friend's voice, leaning so close that the tip of his nose almost touched the barrier that encircled him. The creature locked eyes with Raven, its burning gaze piercing her to her very soul. When it spoke, its voice was hushed, smug, and utterly confident.

"Keep telling yourself that."

Then Beast Boy slumped to the cold metal floor, the strength draining from his body as the Beast melded back into his mind. The changeling let out an agonized groan, but despite the fact that he was the one on the floor, as weak as a newborn kitten, the first thing he asked was:

"Raven? Are you all right?"

"No," Raven said, blinking back rebellious tears. "I don't think I'll be all right for a long time, Beast Boy."

"What happened?"

Raven's voice was tender, and Beast Boy could clearly her her sniffling. "I'm so sorry, Beast Boy."

"For what?" His voice was surprised.

"I've been such a jerk to you for so long. I've insulted you and deameaned you at every opportunity, and I know I can never make up for it. You don't deserve a bad friend like me," Raven said softly, but she stiffened as Beast Boy tenderly wiped away her tears.

"Whatever the Beast told you," he said, with an ocean depth's worth of feeling, "Whatever he convinced you to believe, _it's not true, Raven. _I've never given that stuff a second thought."

Raven looked up at him, and Beast Boy felt his heartstrings being pulled. How DARE that monster distress Raven like that?

Her voice was small. "Really?"

For a moment, the changeling merely gazed at her, mesmerized by Raven's beauty, and a wave of affection washed over him as the blood began to pound in his ears. Overcome with his love for Raven, Beast Boy summoned up his courage, said a quick prayer to whatever deity happened to be listening, and smiled back. "Really."

And then he kissed her.

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back! Looks like the moment you've all been waiting for has FINALLY arrived! What will happen to Beast Boy and Raven now? Find out in coming chapters!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	10. Chapter 10

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 10:

Raven stiffened with surprise and shock, momentarily taken aback by Beast Boy's sudden boldness. His hands splayed across her back, tugging her closer with extreme gentleness, as if she would break if Beast Boy touched her too hard. Almost unconsciously, her arms wrapped themselves around his neck, as if they had a mind of their own. Raven's eyes closed dreamily as she began to melt against him.

The blood turned to fire in her veins, and Raven could quite literally feel the thunderous pounding of Beast Boy's heart. Pleasure and utter contentment washed over her in a massive wave, as if her very bones were melting, and the world around them was forgotten.

For the moment, there were no troubles, no worries, and no fears. Right now, the entire universe just consisted of Raven and Beast Boy. Nothing else mattered.

In the back of her mind, Raven wondered if it was possible to die from happiness. It felt so…_right,_ kissing Beast Boy, who completed her so utterly, and the safe feeling of his arms around her made Raven weak in the knees. No one had _ever_ made her feel like this.

For his part, Beast Boy was utterly absorbed in the feel of Raven's soft hands, the silkiness of her hair, and the intoxicating scent that was so uniquely hers. He _needed _Raven by his side, _needed_ to be with her as much as he required air and water, and possibly more. Beast Boy drew Raven ever closer to him, until they practically melded together, and every fiber of his body was afire with love for the woman before him.

When he realized he needed to breathe, Beast Boy pulled away with obvious reluctance. He rested his forehead against Raven's, their noses almost touching, and he could practically feel the heat coming off her face as she turned crimson. The puce shade of her cheeks matched Beast Boy's own, and for a moment they simply stood there as they tried to find words for what had just happened.

Raven looked away suddenly, running a hand through her hair nervously. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out, dizzy as she was from the kiss.

Beast Boy took the initiative and rested his chin on her shoulder, so his mouth was just by her ear, and the words he said next had more feeling, more sincerity to them than anything uttered before or since.

"I love you, Raven," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Beast Boy."

A sardonic grin crossed his face. "I was wondering if we would ever get around to that."

Raven smirked. "Remind me not to procrastinate next time."

"So does this mean, uh…" Beast Boy trailed off as his voice failed him.

"That I'm your girlfriend?" Raven finished for him, blushing even deeper. "Yes, it does."

_**You settle for so little when you can have so much more, Garfield.**_

Beast Boy tried not to stiffen. He failed, and Raven's violet eyes filled with worry.

_I'm not going to force Raven to do anything before she's ready,_ he replied. _She's not a sex object, you pig! Dude, what is wrong with you?_

_**Oh, for the love of Mother Nature, boy! **_The Beast's voice was completely exasperated. _**She's practically yours already! Honestly, it's a wonder you humans ever survived the Stone Age with such ridiculous mating practices! **_

_You're ruining the moment,_ Beast Boy snarled. _If you try to sabotage what Raven and I have together, I swear to God I'll turn you into a rug, dude!_

_**Brave words from such a fragile organism, **_the Beast replied. _**But your threats to me will never amount to anything more. Try as you might, resist all you want, but you will never win this fight. I will become you in the end, and the moment of my ascension will be glorious indeed.**_

_Go away! Dude, you can mess with my head some other time, just not now!_

_**My hour is near. My day will come.**_

_But that day's not today!_ Beast Boy hissed.

_**I have waited for years to be free,**_ the Beast said calmly as its presence began to fade._** I can wait a little longer…**_

"Beast Boy?" Raven's voice, like a choir of angels, snapped him out of his reverie.

"Huh?"

"It was the Beast, wasn't it?" Raven's tone was that of a statement, not a question. "It's still there."

Beast Boy looked slightly ashamed. "Yeah. I can hear him in my head, Rae. I think I'm losing my mind!"

"No." Raven gently cupped his face in her hands. "You're not. Look at me and see if I'm lying."

Beast Boy clasped her slender fingers in his own. "Rae, as long as you're with me, I think I could take on the world."

A slight smile flitted across her face. "In that case, we have a lot of work to do."

A/N: I know it's a short chapter, but I felt it was just plain cruel to leave you guys hanging for much longer. Let it never be said that Quintillus Numerian Inque III doesn't look out for his readers! ^^ And fear not, the next chapter will be up by Friday!

(Normally I'd sign off here, but seeing as how I've posted my full name above, it seemed rather redundant. XD)


	11. Chapter 11

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 11: Animal Instincts

Beast Boy and Raven stepped out into the hallway, the faces the color of ripe pomegranates, each overcome with a multitude of emotions over what had occurred within the dark confines of Raven's room. Beast Boy grabbed Raven's slender hand discreetly, and she interlaced her fingers with his. The touch of Raven's skin against his own sent roars of pleasure coursing through Beast Boy's veins. Here he was, holding hands with Raven, whom he had grown to love, and who loved him in return. The fires of joy made the young changeling feel giddy, and a fierce pride welled in Beast Boy's chest as he admired her quiet strength and stunning beauty. The way Raven looked at him now…

Was it possible to O.D. on happiness?

Beast Boy cleared his throat. "So, uh, how are we gonna tell the others?"

A smirk crossed Raven's lovely face. "Who said we have to tell them now? We'll let them know about us when we're good and ready."

"Dude, you just don't want to give Cyborg the pleasure of saying, 'I told you so'."

"Well, that too," Raven admitted. "We'd never hear the end of it."

"Never hear the end of what?" Cyborg's voice caught them by surprise. "Are you plottin' another prank, grass stain?"

"Don't tempt me, dude," Beast Boy laughed as he discreetly disentangled Raven's fingers from his own.

"So how did the meditation lessons go?" Cyborg asked. "Robin's been getting antsy 'cause y'all were takin' so long."

Raven couldn't resist the smallest of smirks. "It went better than expected," she replied. "Beast Boy is making good progress."

"So that thing in your head's been locked up for good?"

"Not yet," Raven admitted. "We've still got a ways to go, I'm afraid. The Beast has had months to accumulate its psychic power, Cyborg. It would be impossible to force it back into the subconscious all at once, even for me. And that's assuming that the stress on Beast Boy's psyche didn't drive him insane or kill him. We're going to have to take this a little at a time."

"Well, while y'all were doin' all that New Age stuff, I took the liberty of makin' lunch." A smirk crossed Cyborg's face. "Double meat enchiladas! Your favorite, BB!"

A few days before, Beast Boy would have become nauseated at the very idea of consuming non-vegan products. He was a devout vegetarian, as Cyborg well knew, and was therefore against eating meat or dairy products of any kind. This had been a source of merciless teasing on Cyborg's part, and Beast Boy's friend delighted in surprising him with dishes loaded with beef or chicken.

But Beast Boy was appalled to discover that the prospect of eating three pounds of meat and cheese seemed not only feasible, but appealing as well! His mouth had begun to water at the mere mention of the very foods he hated! Beast Boy found himself grimacing at his normal diet of tofu and soy products, which he had eaten for years. The sudden vanishing of one of his principles shocked Beast Boy to his very core.

He craved meat. There was no getting around that fact.

Raven waited until Cyborg was out of earshot. "What's wrong? You look green, more so than usual."

"I…uh…" Beast Boy couldn't force himself to give voice to his longing.

Raven's eyes widened. "You want meat, don't you? Your primal side is starting to influence your conscious mind. Oh, Beast Boy…" her voice turned quiet. "I can smuggle some out for you, if you'd like."

"No." His voice was determined. "I'm not going to just lie down and take this. That…THING isn't going to decide what I do."

"That's the Beast Boy I know," Raven said proudly as they entered the living room.

Starfire was waiting for them. "Friends! You have returned! Beast Boy is victorious, yes?"

Cyborg shook his head, and the towering chef's hat wobbled ponderously atop his metal skull as he reached for a skillet. "Naw, Rae says it's gonna take a while. Apparently that thing in BB's head is stronger than it was before."

Starfire's green eyes welled with tears. "Will you be all right?" she asked, looking at Beast Boy.

"Don't worry, Star." The changeling tried to sound confident. "One way or another, that monster is going back where it came from."

_**Your confidence is both inspiring and sadly misplaced, I'm afraid.**_

It took all of Beast Boy's self-control to stop himself from flinching. _Haven't you caused enough trouble today?_ He asked furiously. _What more can you possibly do to me?_

The Beast's tone was smug. _**You would be surprised to know just what I am capable of doing, Garfield. **_

_Like making me crave meat?_ Beast Boy's voice was filled with loathing.

_**You will not believe it, but that is one thing I am not responsible for. The carnivorous tendencies you are now feeling are entirely your own. You have tasted blood through me, and now you crave more. **_

_You're right, I DON'T believe you,_ Beast Boy said. _Now go away before I turn you into a rug!_

_**Oh, please. You have nothing to threaten ME with, boy. **_

The hero shook his head violently, and found Cyborg staring at him.

"You okay, dude? You got kinda spacey there for a minute."

"Yeah, just…thinking," Beast Boy muttered as he opened the refrigerator.

"Awww, that's great, BB," Cyborg said, smirking. "We're so proud of you."

"Shut up," he replied, but there was no anger in it. He and Cyborg engaged in such banter all the time.

"If you two are done jockeying for social dominance, then you can come eat," Raven interjected dryly.

"Coming, Rae," Beast Boy said, his voice sheepish as he took a seat next to her. Robin licked his lips in anticipation, and even Starfire stared hungrily at the steaming dishes; Cyborg's enchiladas were famous.

The changeling tried in vain to ignore the delicious aroma that assailed his nostrils, but with each consecutive breath, his resolve began to crumble. Robin closed his eyes in enjoyment at the first bite, unknowingly adding to Beast Boy's discomfort, and all the while the tofu grew cold on his plate.

_**You have no idea the kind of pleasure you are denying yourself, Garfield. Give in and feast. Satisfy yourself. You know you want to.**_

_Never!_ Beast Boy thought with utter determination. _You won't win!_

_**Wrong again, Garfield. Do not waste your strength defying me. I **__**will**__** be free, though whether by choice or by force is up to entirely up to you. The Brain was right, you know. You always try so hard, and yet you always fail. You cannot beat me. You cannot even come close.**_

_SHUT UP!_ Beast Boy had to clench his teeth from crying out, and Raven surreptitiously clasped his hand under the table in support. _You're a monster, a beast! The only thing you care about is yourself, and you don't give a damn who has to get hurt for you to get what you want!_

_**Beast, certainly, but I draw the line at "monster". **_The Beast actually sounded somewhat offended. _**I merely desire the things that your human rules deprive you of. Think of what I could give you, in a life without guilt or shame or second thoughts! You could do whatever you wanted to whoever you chose, and no absurd human laws will be able to stop you! Set yourself free, and let me out!**_

Beast Boy was firm. _Not now, and not ever. I'll put you back in your box, if it's the last thing I do!_

The Beast's voice was quiet, humorous, but laced with subtle threats.

_**Be careful what you wish for, Garfield Logan. You just might get it…**_

A/N: Hey, y'all, I'm back once again! I apologize for the wait, but I've got an Algebra test tomorrow, and studying for that has taken up most of my free time. *Holds up a crucifix to ward off the evils of math* Anyway, I'll have the next installment up sometime this weekend, so don't fret. ^^

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	12. Chapter 12

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 12: Tortured Dreams

_Blood._

_There was something both unique and utterly intoxicating about the smell of fresh blood._

_Each puny human's crimson nectar tasted different: some were tart, some were sweet, and some were a combination of the two. _

_And each was delicious, the Beast reflected as it licked its lips, its pink tongue rasping through its stained fur. It gazed with utter satisfaction at the destruction around it, licking its claws delicately as its eyes sparkled like twin stars of evil. There had been good hunting this night. _

_What had once been the business district of downtown Jump City was now a wreckage-strewn wasteland. The jagged edges of shattered windows reflected the sheets of roaring, furious flames. An abandoned Cadillac lay inert against the fire hydrant it had crashed into, and the spray of water mingled with the sea of blood that splashed beneath the Beast's furry paws. The scent of death was everywhere; bodies of its victims lay strewn carelessly, almost contemptuously on the cracked asphalt street. Robin's broken, bleeding corpse lay only feet aware from Starfire, who had died despite his valiant attempts to defend her. Cyborg's empty husk gave off an occasional spark of electricity, but was otherwise devoid of life. The city of Jump lay in ruins, in mile upon mile of total devastation, from the suburban neighborhoods to the once-proud skyscrapers. All had been consumed by the Beast's insatiable appetite._

_Everywhere there was smoke, and fire, and death._

_The Beast dropped Raven's lifeless body from its fearsome claws-_

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Beast Boy bolted upright in his bed, his body covered with a sheet of cold sweat, and his eyes gazed wildly about in utter terror. The changeling's heart pounded in his chest, and it took a moment for him to realize that he was still in his room, that it had all been a dream of the worst sort. Beast Boy's breath rasped in his chest, made raw with panic as he glanced at his clock.

"Is it really three in the morning?" he muttered, still numb with fear. "But there's no way I can get back to sleep now, dude."

_**Not unless you want to pick up where we left off, Garfield.**_

A despairing sob escaped Beast Boy's lips. _You bastard. That nightmare was your doing!_

_**And it is the first of many, boy. Until you release me, I will be waiting every time you close your eyes. I will kill Robin and Cyborg and Starfire over and over, night after night, until you give me my freedom. You will wake in the morning craving blood.**_

Beast Boy stalked across the cold metal floor, intent on splashing some cold water on his face in an effort to calm his still-racing mind. But his progress was halted as he passed by the generous window Cyborg had given him, the one that faced toward the endless sea.

The changeling's breath caught in his throat, his eyes drawn like magnets toward the silvery orb that hung low in the sky. The full moon's light bathed his burning face, and Beast Boy could almost physically feel its rays as they hit his body. He couldn't tear his eyes away; he couldn't bring himself to move from that spot. He was utterly transfixed by the full moon above.

_**She exerts enormous power, doesn't she, Garfield? Can't you hear her calling you? Can't you feel her presence? You long to feast beneath her gaze! Set me free, and we will hunt on this glorious night!**_

_After what I saw in my dream? No friggin' way, dude!_ Beast Boy snarled.

_**You are so adorable when you deny the urges you feel,**_ the Beast said patronizingly, but a sudden pounding on the door diverted the hero's attention.

"Beast Boy? Are you all right?" Raven's tones, like a chorus of angels, made his heart lurch.

With a wave of his hand, the smooth metal opened to admit her. Raven gasped as she got a good look at the toll Beast Boy's nightmare had taken on him.

"What happened?"

Her friend's voice was utterly exhausted, betraying the anguish he felt inside. "I had a nightmare, Rae. A really, really, really bad nightmare."

"Was it…?" Raven couldn't bring herself to finish.

"Yeah, it was the Beast," he replied, and his normally cheery voice shook with despair. "I killed them all, Raven. Cyborg, Robin, Starfire, and…and…" Beast Boy couldn't say anymore, but the look in his eyes spoke volumes.

"And me," Raven said quietly, wrapping an arm around him.

"Yes," Beast Boy sobbed. "You and so many others. I can still taste the blood, Raven! I don't know what or who I _am_ anymore!"

Raven's heart welled with sympathy for her boyfriend, and fury at the depraved monster that could do this to him. No words would sufficiently express how she felt, so Raven held his hand in her own in silent support.

Dawn didn't come soon enough for Beast Boy. His eyelids were leaden with lack of sleep, but he didn't dare succumb to his exhaustion when he knew what awaited him in the realm of dreams. Raven stayed with him the entire night, and once again Beast Boy felt grateful to have such a wonderful girlfriend. And so it was that the changeling dragged his tired body to the kitchen, intent on swiping some of Cyborg's Red Bull in an effort to lighten his heavy lids.

Beast Boy groaned to himself as he swung the refrigerator's door open, seizing a telltale blue can with desperation. The carbonated energy drink made a cracking, fizzing sound as he popped open the lid, and his throat wobbled pendulously as Beast Boy chugged the beverage down.

"Yo, B! Are you swipin' my food again, man?" Cyborg's outraged tones caused Beast Boy to turn around abruptly. On seeing the state of his friend's health, however, Cyborg gently backed down.

"Ya know, on second thought, you better have another," he said. "You look like you've been through the ringer, dude. Everything okay?"

_No,_ Beast Boy thought sourly. _You have no idea how NOT okay things are right now. _Aloud he said, "I just…didn't sleep well, that's all. I'll be fine, Cy."

"I hope so," Cyborg replied, though the look on his face clearly let informed Beast Boy that he was not convinced. Fortunately, any argument about the state of the changeling's health was cut off by Starfire's cheerful voice.

"Good morning, friends!" she trilled. "Is it not a glorious morning?"

"Speak for yourself, Star," Beast Boy grumbled.

"Beast Boy, what has happened to you?" Starfire's green eyes filled with worry as she got a good look at him. "You look as if you have been attacked by a wild zontar!"

"That's not very far from the truth," Raven intoned as she joined them, the metal doors closing behind her. "Beast Boy's primal side is growing more and more vindictive. The fact that it hasn't taken him over yet has made it stir-crazy."

"But the Beast trashed Mumbo," Cyborg said, confused. "So didn't it get what it wanted?"

"No," Beast Boy said flatly. "That was just an appetizer to it, Cy. It didn't get to completely control me, and according to Raven, I forced it back far too soon for its liking. It wants more, dude. Much more."

Cyborg summed up the situation in a single word. "Bummer."

"Fear not, friend," Starfire tried to sound confident. "We will emerge victorious in the end."

_**Such blind and stupid confidence in a mere human,**_ The Beast said disgustedly. _**Mental note: Kill **__**her**__** first.**_

Beast Boy's eyelid twitched ever so slightly, but other than that he gave no indication of the Beast's words.

Starfire glanced at the door. "Is Robin up yet?"

"I am now," her friend replied, from where he had snuck up behind her.

Starfire squealed in surprise, and punched him "lightly" in the arm. "Do not do that!" she laughed. "You startled me!"

Robin surreptitiously rubbed his stinging elbow. "So what's all this about the Beast?" he asked. "Was there another relapse?"

"Thankfully, no," Raven said as she sipped a mug of steaming tea. "But it's growing angry. Beast Boy had an extremely traumatic nightmare."

"I don't want to know," Robin muttered.

"You're right," Beast Boy replied harshly. "You don't."

"Geez, chill," Robin said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture.

Beast Boy immediately regretted his snappish response. "Sorry," he said sincerely. "I've just been having a rough couple of days, dude."

"I know." Robin nodded in understanding. "If it were me, I'd probably be tense, too. Now who wants breakfast?"

"Already on it, Robin," Cyborg called cheerfully from his place by the stove.

The smell of sizzling bacon reached BeastBoy's nostrils, and it was only with the greatest self-control that he was able to keep from groaning out loud.

_It's gonna be a long day…_

A/N: Well, I'm back! What will happen to poor Beast Boy now? Will the nightmares drive him insane? Hopefully not, because in the coming chapters, when the Beast steps up his bid for freedom in anticipation of the night known as All Hallow's Eve…

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	13. Chapter 13

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Ttans.

Chapter 13: Onslaught

"The darkest hours of Hell lie before you."- Lord Talbot, "The Wolfman", (2010)

Beast Boy loved Halloween.

Other than Easter, it was the only holiday of the year where giving out candy was mandatory. And, being a shapeshifter, he didn't even have to buy a costume. Though he was no longer a child, Beast Boy relished both the chance to trick-or-treat and the opportunity to play Halloween pranks on his friends.

He was not the only one checking his calendar. Throughout the fair city, people were preparing for the arrival of the ancient holiday. Freshly carved jack-o-lanterns, ranging from crude to masterful, lay inert on countless windowsills and doorsteps. Bakeries had already begun to turn out "Halloween Specials", and department stores tried to outdo each other in costume sales. Candy was bought by the bag and bucket by anxious mothers, while children attended class in their gaudy outfits. An air of festivity and excitement permeated the very air as all and sundry counted down the days to October 31st.

The changeling smiled to himself as he removed a heaping handful of the half-carved pumpkin's innards. "All right, Jack, time for your lobotomy," Beast Boy joked, imitating the voice of Dr. House. "This won't hurt a bit."

"Please, friend Beast Boy, can you explain the purpose of carving geometric patterns in produce?" Starfire's voice was curious as the Tamaranian princess watched him work.

"It's just for fun, Star," Beast Boy replied as he removed another gooey glob of seeds. "But I'm so good at it, I turn jack-o-lanterns into an art form." That last comment was directed at Cyborg, who was using his built-in tools to carve his own pumpkin.

"Oh, yeah?" Cyborg said, his voice playful. "We'll see who's better, grass stain. Bring it on."

Beast Boy wiped the blade of his carving knife, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Hang on, I'm almost finished. There," he added, turning his pumpkin around. The vegetable now bore the horrible visage of Davy Jones, carved in exquisite detail. The movie villain was so life-like that he appeared to be glaring back at them. "Top that," Beast Boy said proudly.

Raven looked up from her book, intrigued, and got up from the couch to inspect her boyfriend's work. "I gotta say, Beast Boy, that's impressive," she said.

Robin stared at the jack-o-lantern. "How long have you been working on that?"

Beast Boy checked the clock on the microwave. "Two hours, thirty-five minutes, and twelve seconds," he replied, grinning. "My best time yet!"

Cyborg shook his head. "I hate to admit it, Robin, but this is one time Beast Boy has me beat. Ain't no way I could carve a pumpkin like that, even with my robotic parts."

"It's all in the wrist, dude," Beast Boy smirked.

"Will we be doing the trick-or-treating?" Starfire asked. "It sounds like so much fun!"

"Halloween is still a week away, Star," Robin grinned. "I don't know about you guys, but you're NEVER too old for trick-or-treating."

"I heard that," Beast Boy agreed. "I've already mapped out the route we'll take. There's this old lady on Sixth Street who gives out full-size candy bars every year!"

"For real?" Cyborg's voice was shrill with glee. "I can't wait!"

_**Neither can I. **_The Beast's grating tones sent chills up Beast Boy's spine.

_Go away,_ Beast Boy snapped. _I don't want to deal with you right now._

_**What you want does not matter in the slightest, Garfield. I would have thought you'd learned that by now.**_

_Shut up._

_**You are so cute when you try to be scary. It's almost endearing.**_

_Go to hell, you walking flea condo!_

_**Now that was just insulting!**__ The Beast actually sounded somewhat offended. __**There's no call for put-downs here, Garfield. I am merely looking out for OUR interests.**_

_I've seen what those "interests" are,_ _dude, _Beast Boy replied, shuddering at the memory of his dream. _And I want nothing to do with them._

_**Idiot. I have witnessed firsthand the darkest desires of your heart. I have been to the shadowy corners of your mind, and seen the urges and emotions you choose to lock away. I know how much you wanted to kill Slade when he turned Terra against you, how you continue to blame yourself for getting kicked off the Doom Patrol. And, on a far more "intimate" note, I have seen the thoughts you have about Raven. And what thoughts they are! Tsk, tsk, tsk, Garfield! What would Raven say if she knew?**_

Beast Boy blushed furiously. _I don't know what you're talking about._

_**Oh, I think you do-o-o-o,**_ The Beast taunted him in a singsong voice. _**Your parents would undoubtedly be ashamed of you for dropping to my level, had you not been too weak to save them back in Africa!**_

_SHUT UP! _ Beast Boy's hand slipped on the carving knife, and he hissed in pain as the blade left a long, shallow cut on his palm.

_**Oooh, it looks as if I've hit a nerve,**_the creature chortled.

"Beast Boy?"

"What?" The changeling abruptly snapped back to reality.

"Are you spacin' out on us again?" Cyborg asked. "Maybe you should see a shrink, man."

Beast Boy looked woefully at his injured hand. "I just lost my concentration, that's all."

Raven knew perfectly well what had happened, but gave no indication of such knowledge to her friends. "Come on, Beast Boy. We need to wash and bandage that cut before it gets infected," she said, gently guiding him from the kitchen.

Robin gazed worriedly after them. "Beast Boy's growing worse and worse, Cyborg. That thing he's got cooped up in his head seems to get stronger every day."

"At least he hasn't had another relapse," Cyborg replied. "But I can't help wonderin' how long he can keep this up."

"I hope he CAN keep it up," Robin lowered his voice so Starfire wouldn't overhear. "As much as we would like to help him, this is a battle that only Beast Boy can win. It kills me to see him like that, but I just don't know if there's anything we can do."

"I'm just glad Raven's givin' him a hand. Otherwise, Beast Boy wouldn't have any help at all. And if anyone knows how to win a mental conflict, it's her."

"I'm sure Beast Boy is learning a lot of things from Raven," Robin chuckled as he set his pumpkin down.

Cyborg looked at him in confusion. "What are you talkin' about, man?"

Robin grinned hugely and nodded in the direction of Raven's room. "Haven't you been paying attention? Those two have finally gotten together, Cyborg."

"What?" Robin's friend was utterly taken aback. "How do you know?"

"I've just noticed some small changes," Robin replied, his grin becoming a smirk. "The way they look at each other when they think no one's watching, the way they look for any excuse to hold each other's hand, and the way Raven has mellowed out a bit. Haven't you noticed that she's become much friendlier toward everyone these past few days?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it," Cyborg tapped his metal chin thoughtfully. "I wonder why he didn't tell me."

Robin guffawed. "Probably because Beast Boy was afraid you'd tease him. You're kinda bad about that, you know."

Cyborg looked a little guilty. "Should we tell them that we've figured it out?"

"No, they need some privacy. Those two will tell us when they're ready. Besides, if anyone deserves some happiness in his life, it's Beast Boy. After all he's gone through…I won't lie to you, I'm glad for him."

"Me too," Cyborg said. "You owe me ten bucks, by the way."

"What?"

"Don't you remember? Last Christmas we made a bet on how long it would take BB and Rae to get together. You wagered at least a year, but I was sure it wouldn't take THAT long." Cyborg's voice turned smug. "Turns out I was right."

Robin reached into his pocket and handed Cyborg the money.


	14. Chapter 14

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 14: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Beast Boy would be lying if he said he didn't look forward to his meditation lessons with Raven.

The hero relished the opportunity to spend time alone with his new girlfriend. Raven had kept so much from everyone for so long, and Beast Boy took every opportunity to get to know her better. Just being with her had an enormous calming effect, and the temporary relief from his inner turmoil was more than welcome.

Beast Boy also found out that Raven was a surprisingly good kisser.

And it was for all these reasons that the invisible weight on Beast Boy's shoulders seemed to vanish as he and Raven stepped once more into the Gothic-style décor of her room. Scented candles made the air heavy and thick, and Beast Boy felt his senses swim as the strong aromas wafted around him. Raven took a seat, motioning for him to join her with a smile on her face.

Beast Boy felt his heart leap at the sight as he squatted down on the carpet. _Raven has such a pretty smile. She should do that more often._

"Well, to quote the old cliché, I have good news and bad news," Raven deadpanned.

"Okay…" Beast Boy felt apprehension rise in his stomach.

"The bad news is that the Beast inside you is far more powerful than I originally thought. Based on what I've seen, I doubt you can defeat it with meditation alone. The trances will weaken it, true, but only temporarily."

"What's the good news?"

"The good news is that I have an alternate, but more drastic, solution, Beast Boy. Your psyche is now strong enough to allow me to go inside your mind and weaken the Beast to the point where you can finish it off. It won't be fun, and it'll hurt, but chances are it will cut the Beast down to size. As I've said, the meditation you've been doing has weakened it. I think I can beat it now."

Beast Boy turned an unnatural state of green. "You want to go…inside my head?"

"Yes."

The changeling shook his head. "No. As much as it would help, there are some things in my noggin that I don't want anyone to see." _Not to mention that the Beast will eat you alive after it tells you about all the skeletons in my closet, _he silently added.

Raven's voice was gentle. "Beast Boy, whatever's inside that mind of yours couldn't be any worse than what you saw in MY head the day you picked up that mirror."

Beast Boy shuddered at the memory. He had learned quite a bit about Raven that day. Raven continued as she held his hand tenderly. "You know I won't judge you. I just want to help. It kills me to see you like this, Beast Boy."

Her boyfriend took a deep, shuddering breath. "I can't. If I let you do that, if you see what I really am on the inside… I'm a monster, Rae. There's no other way to put it. I don't want you to see the kinds of thoughts I've been having lately." Beast Boy blushed slightly at the memory of a few "thoughts" he'd had about Raven.

"You know me well enough to know that I won't judge you," Raven replied quietly. "And having me in your brain is better than the alternative."

For a moment, Beast Boy wrestled with himself. Door number one: Sharing his mind with Raven would relieve some of his burden and bring them even closer together, and it would make huge progress toward defeating the Beast, as well. Door number two: Raven would be horrified at what she found and drop him like a hot potato, convinced that he was some kind of animal.

Despite his fears, he thought that the last possibility was unlikely. If anyone could relate to having an epic inner conflict inside his or her mind, it was Raven. She had, after all, put up with Trigon in her head for most of her life. She understood better than anyone what he was going through. And, to be frank, Raven was right; severe embarrassment was preferable to having the Beast take him over.

After a moment of intense consideration, Beast Boy's green eyes met Raven's violet ones. "Okay," he said, his voice shaking with apprehension. "Go ahead."

Raven squeezed his hand gently. "It's going to be all right, Beast Boy," she assured him as she folded her legs into the lotus position. "Now clear out the cobwebs. The clearer your mind is, the easier it will be for me to enter it."

Beast Boy copied her, closing his eyes and breathing deeply as he did so. His senses began to dull as the calmness of the meditative state overtook him…

_Raven found herself standing in the midst of a vast jungle, an untamed tropical wilderness worthy of BBC or Animal Planet. It was almost unbearably humid; wisps of steam mingled with droplets of moisture that clung to every leaf and branch. Brightly colored flowers of every shade peeked out from beneath the brush. Monkeys screeched, birds chirped, and snakes hissed in an almost deafening, cacophonous symphony of nature. The wet soil made a squelching sound underneath her shoes as Raven cast out a psychic probe for the Beast. A creature like that, after all, shouldn't be hard to find for an empath._

_Such precautions were not needed, however, and Raven only just kept herself from gasping as she came face-to-face with a pair of glowing red eyes, which burned like the sky at sunset after a heavy rain. An audible snarl filled the air, and flocks of birds fled the trees en masse at the sound of it. Raven gulped nervously, and tried to put on a brave face._

"_You cannot fool me, Raven," it growled. "I can smell your fear, and it smells _good."

"_Your time is done," Raven replied quietly. "You will torment my friend no longer, Beast."_

_There was a moment of silence, and then the Beast itself lumbered from its hiding place, towering over her as Goliath had once loomed over David. There was no mistaking the humor in its voice. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, dearest Raven, but the fact that I am here is not of MY doing."_

"_What are you talking about?" Raven demanded. "Beast Boy wants you gone."_

"_Foolish girl. You have not yet realized that the only reason I have continued to haunt your boyfriend's mind is because, deep down, he WANTS me here. He desires the speed and power I give him, he longs to throw away his pitiful human inhibitions. No matter how much he denies it, Beast Boy does not desire to be human anymore. I exist only because he allows me to, Raven, though whether you choose to accept this truth is up to you."_

"_You're just trying to push my buttons again," Raven replied in an emotionless monotone. "It won't work this time."_

"_It already has," the Beast rumbled. "I can already feel the whirlwind of emotions my words have stirred up inside you, girl. You are not fooling anyone but yourself."_

"_Enough," Raven snarled, her hands crackling with black energy. She fired a mighty blast at the Beast, and instantly all was obscured by the resultant smoke and flame. Raven's heart leapt in her chest-_

_But her exhilaration turned to disbelief as the Beast emerged, untouched, from the cloudy haze. For all the power Raven had thrown at the creature, its fur wasn't even singed._

"_HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The Beast threw back its head and roared with merriment, its eyes glistening with dark emotions. "You cannot harm me in here, Raven. This is MY domain! Here, I am untouchable, but you, on the other hand…" Its sentence trailed off as it backhanded Raven in the face, sending her crashing into a tree that felt very, very solid. The Beast thrust its mouth close to her ear._

"_Fly back to Beast Boy, little bird," it hissed. "And tell him that the hour of my glorious ascension draws ever closer."_

Raven's eyes snapped open, and for a moment her heart beat with a frenzy borne of fear. Her body was coated in a nervous sweat, and only when Beast Boy seized her hand did her terror begin to subside.

"Rae?" he asked quietly. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," she replied numbly. "I'll be okay, Beast Boy."

But in reality, Raven's mind was still reeling from her encounter with the Beast. Contrary to her professional opinion, the meditative trances had only had a minimal impact. The creature was growing stronger, and it carried a cloak of psychic power about it that sent chills down Raven's spine.

Good Lord, Raven couldn't REMEMBER the last time she'd encountered an entity with that much raw psychic energy. She had emerged with her sanity intact purely on the Beast's tender whims. It could have easily killed her.

Or worse, Raven reflected with a shudder.

There was absolutely no question that, despite their efforts, Beast Boy's primal side was growing stronger every day.

And, now that she had witnessed it firsthand, she feared for his life.

And everyone else's, too.

A/N: I bet Raven didn't see THAT coming! But what will happen in the next chapter, when the Beast finally launches its assault on the night of Halloween? Will our young protagonist ever be the same? Will the creature FINALLY have its day? And will our young protagonist emerge from his ordeal with his mind intact? Find out in coming chapters!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	15. Chapter 15

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 15: Ascension

"Run free. Kill or be killed."-Lord Talbot, "The Wolfman" (2010)

Beast Boy could hardly contain his excitement.

Halloween was, in his opinion, mankind's most significant achievement after fire and the wheel. It was one of only a few days each year where giving out candy to complete strangers was not only acceptable, but mandatory. Beast Boy had no need of a costume, of course, due to his natural abilities, and on every October 31st he would roam the streets in the form of some large, fierce-looking carnivore, his basket held in his teeth. The sun shone low in the sky as the whole city geared up for the hordes of trick-or-treaters.

Beast Boy smiled wickedly to himself as he pocketed a roll of toilet paper and a canister of silly string. He had several pranks on his agenda before this night was over, and he whistled softly to himself as he knocked loudly upon Robin's door.

"What is it, Beast Boy?" The Boy Wonder asked as the doors slid open.

The changeling kept a straight face as he lied to his leader. "Starfire wants to talk to you, Robin. And she does NOT look happy. You musta done something pretty awful to upset her like that, dude, 'cause she's been sobbing on the couch for the last fifteen minutes."

"WHAT?" Robin's voice rose an octave as panic overtook him. Beast Boy grinned darkly as Robin flew past him, and when the coast was clear he slipped into the other Titan's room. The metal can made a rattling sound as Beast Boy shook it vigorously.

"Too easy," he chuckled as a web of bright green foam splattered onto the wall. "You may be a good fighter, Robin, but you're just too predictable." Beast Boy checked his watch. "I've got about a minute to finish up before he realizes that I've duped him. Remember, kids," he added, imitating the narrator from "Mythbusters". "Don't try this at home. I'm what you call an expert, and I have years of experience that keeps me safe!"

His playfulness abruptly vanished as Robin's outraged tones echoed down the hallway.

"_BEAST BOY! I'M GONNA BREAK YOU IN HALF!"_

"Time to go," the changeling grinned as he took the form of a small fly. The sudden transformation was not a second too soon, for no sooner had Beast Boy altered his shape than Robin burst through the door, his masked face widening in horror at the green mess that had been his room.

"I'm going to KILL him," the Boy Wonder said through gritted teeth.

He never noticed the small insect that flew over his head.

Back in the safety of his room, Beast Boy struggled vainly to control the spasms of laughter that racked his body. "Robin always has the BEST expressions," he said, wiping tears of merriment from his eyes. "But in all fairness, I pranked Cyborg last year, and Starfire the year before that. So naturally, it was Robin's turn this time." Beast Boy shuddered visibly. "I won't EVER prank Raven again, though…"

The shadows were already lengthening as the sun began its descent toward the horizon, and this fact did not escape Beast Boy as he shouldered a large plastic bucket. A grin of pure excitement split the changeling's face while he made haste to join his friends in the living room. Most of them were as anxious as he was to begin the festivities, but Robin's eyes were full of homicide as he shot a glare in Beast Boy's direction.

"Lighten up, Robin," Beast Boy said, in a vain effort to curb Robin's temper. "It's just a joke, dude."

"We'll see how funny your jokes are after I break you with my foot," Robin replied venomously.

"Can I take a raincheck on that?" Beast Boy asked.

"It's the end of the world, Beast Boy," Robin growled.

"Do not be angry," Starfire said. "Is it not custom to engage in juvenile shenanigans on Halloween?"

"Uh..well…" Robin was momentarily lost for words as Starfire continued. "Our friend is not the only one who observes these customs. In an effort to understand this Earth holiday better, I myself put soda in the T-Car's engine just yesterday."

"THAT WAS YOU?" Cyborg exploded. "It took me FOREVER to scrub out the fuel pipes!"

Beast Boy smiled at her. "Welcome to the dark side, Star."

The Tameranian looked confused. "That makes no sense. This side of the room is as adequately lit as yours, Beast Boy."

"Never mind," Beast Boy sighed. "So what's the plan?"

"We go out on the town and have a good time," Cyborg said, rubbing his metallic fingers together in anticipation. "We'll have to take the T-Sub, though, since SOMEBODY put my car outta commission."

"Fine, fine," Beast Boy said impatiently. "Let's just go already. We're burning daylight."

"How is that possible?" Starfire asked as she followed them down to the submarine's launch site.

"Forget it, Star…"

_Jump City, Business District, Sundown._

In any other city, the sight of a giant airborne submarine touching down in the middle of the street would be cause for concern and consternation. But the Titans had been defending the people of Jump for more than a year, so such peculiarities lost their novelty past a certain point. If anything, the appearance of the Titans' vehicle served to reassure the local populace that vandalism and destruction of property would be kept to a minimum while they enjoyed the celebration. No hoodlum with an ounce of sense would try to egg a house when the Titans could show up unannounced at any minute.

Little by little, the shining orb of the sun slipped below the far-off horizon, and Beast Boy felt jittery with excitement at the prospect of gorging himself on Snickers and Reese's Cups. He felt rather optimistic; the Beast had been somewhat quiet of late, and this knowledge only served to increase Beast Boy's good humor as he swung his bucket idly.

He was therefore completely unprepared when the Beast slammed against the psychic barrier around Beast Boy's mind with the force of a runaway train. Lances of shooting agony arced across the changeling's skull, which throbbed like bongo drums as the Beast kept up its bid for freedom. A cry of agony was all the unfortunate hero had time for as he fell to his knees.

The consternation of Beast Boy's friends was lost upon him. He could almost hear the mental block Raven had placed upon him crack like cheap glass. Beast Boy's left eyelid twitched in a rather disturbing manner, and slowly but surely, the familiar cheerfulness banished from his eyes to be replaced by catlike pupils, which glowed like the fires of Hell as the changeling's head snapped to one side with a sickening crack.

Raven stood rooted to the asphalt, horrified, but at the same time she was unable to tear her eyes away. _I should have seen this coming! I should have realized that the Beast was conserving its strength for a last-ditch assault! What are we going to do? What CAN we do?_

Beast Boy's clothes split with a loud rip, and green fur sprouted from his arms and legs at an alarming rate. His human fingers doubled in size, and fearsome claws sprouted from his nails, dripping blood as the scalpel-like edges split the skin of Beast Boy's cuticle. He gnashed and snarled as conical fangs replaced his human teeth, and one could hear his bones grating and shifting as the poor hero began to tower above his friends. The friendly features that Raven had grown to love became sharpened and angular as a bestial muzzle grew from her boyfriend's face, and his shoes were obliterated as his feet transformed and tripled in size. Slowly, very slowly, the Beast flexed a massive paw-like hand, twitching its fingers as it shook off the lingering effects of Beast Boy's consciousness. His attention was diverted as everyone within a fifty-foot radius began to flee en masse, and a feral grin split his face as he anticipated the thrill of the hunt.

The last vestiges of the sun faded and died.

At long last, the Beast was free.


	16. Chapter 16

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 16: Thrill of the Hunt

"It is glorious, isn't it?" Lord Talbot, "The Wolfman" (2010)

The Beast's foul breath came in rasping gasps, made ragged by the amount of physical exertion required to manifest itself in Beast Boy's body. Foaming slobber flecked around its huge mouth, and its great shaggy head turned from side to side as all and sundry made haste to flee from its presence. The creature's eyes narrowed in concentration, for there was so much prey to choose from here.

So absorbed was the Beast in its concentration that it forgot all about the four superheroes standing mere feet behind it. Normally, it wouldn't have made such a careless error, but the exhilaration of freedom tended to muddle one's senses. Robin, to his credit, didn't hesitate once the Beast's attention was diverted. His bo staff extended with a series of metallic clinks, and the Boy Wonder's cry roused his teammates from their shock and awe.

"Titans, go! _Bring it down!"_

Raven shook her head vigorously. "No! That will just make it angry. We need to fall back until we have a plan, Robin. The Beast is stronger than all of us combined. Or have you forgotten what happened the LAST time you tried this?"

Robin gritted his teeth. "It can't be helped, Raven. We need to knock it unconscious before this gets any worse. Titans, GO!"

Starfire needed no second bidding. Though the idea of hurting Beast Boy was abhorrent to the gentle Tamaranian, she knew that the Beast had to be neutralized before someone got hurt, or worse. A volley of green energy shot from her eyes and hands, and the Beast cried out, though more from surprise than pain. The starbolts were little more than a stinging deterrent to the massive predator.

The creature turned, its eyes staring balefully at Starfire as she lobbed off another blow, but the element of surprise was lost. With grace and speed that belied its hulking appearance, the Beast dodged the blasts that shot his way and yanked Starfire out of the air. The girl's abnormally strong body made a small crater in the now-ruined street as the Beast knocked her unconscious with a punishing blow.

Cyborg grimaced at his friend's defeat, and his shoulder armor opened to launch a volley of small missiles at the Beast, and these left cloudy contrails in the air as they screamed toward their target. Unfortunately for the Beast, the explosives packed a little more power than Robin's energy discs or Starfire's starbolts, and when the warheads made contact, the creature felt it.

The Beast roared furiously, rounding on Cyborg as the mechanical hero's arms swiftly became armature. But before Cyborg could even get off a single shot, the Beast was upon him like jackals on a rotting carcass, and the hero screamed in pain as the creature savaged his shoulder and arm. Wires and bits of metal were tossed this way and that as the Beast vented its fury, and its claws made a sound like nails on a chalkboard as it ripped Cyborg's (mercifully detachable) arm clean from his body. Panting slightly, the Beast turned to face its next challenger.

Robin wasn't one to disappoint. A metal cord, weighted at both ends, made a peculiar whistling sound as the Boy Wonder threw it at the creature before him. The projectile hit the Beast's legs a split-second later, entangling them in its mesh and causing it to lose its balance. The Beast grunted in astonishment as it fell heavily to the side.

Robin's jubilation was cut short, however, as the Beast slit the supposedly "unbreakable" titanium-steel alloy with a flick of its wrist, and he couldn't help but gulp nervously as the Beast glared at him with vengeful intent. With movement so swift as to be almost imperceptible to the naked eye, the creature closed the distanced and slashed its claws cruelly along Robin's thigh. Blood spattered the sidewalk, and the Boy Wonder gasped in pain, clutching his wounded side purely by reflex.

The Beast couldn't have cared less. A sledgehammer blow to Robin's stomach made him white in the face, and with a backhanded slap, the creature sent the Titans' leader directly into the unforgiving side of a brick building.

Raven dropped her arms as if they were made of lead, the black energy in her palms fizzing away to nothing as despair overwhelmed her. There would be no talking this time, she knew; Raven had used her psychic abilities to probe the Beast's mind, and what had worked during the battle with Mumbo wouldn't hold any water now. There was no trace of her friend left in those balefully burning eyes. There was only a Beast, and for all Raven knew, her beloved Beast Boy could be gone forever.

The creature let out an earsplitting howl before leaping off into the distance.

Behind him, Raven wept.

To say that the Beast was content would be an understatement. As a matter of fact, it was feeling pretty pleased with itself after thrashing the Titans so thoroughly. Pedestrians screamed in terror as it reverted to all fours, its breath hot and heavy with anticipation and excitement. It paused a moment to rip a fire hydrant from its foundations and fling it through a nearby store window, and the sound of cries and glass breaking sent a thrill of pleasure down its spine. It lumbered down Fifth Avenue, but its twisted version of a Sunday stroll was halted as it stubbed a huge toe on the motionless tire of a parked car.

The Beast glared at the vehicle, and a feral snarl escaped its cavernous maw. With some considerable effort, it lifted the Mercedes clear off the ground, its muscles and sinews stretched taught as it roared its challenge to the night sky. The car went sailing through the air with the force of the Beast's throw, and landed with a crashing thump over twenty feet away, scattering some bystanders who had almost gotten too close.

By now, the local law enforcement had taken notice of the huge monster rampaging downtown, and accordingly a barricade of police cars blocked the Beast's progress even further. Dozens of uniformed officers drew their sidearms simultaneously, and to the average person it would have been a formidable sight.

But the Beast wasn't average, nor was it a person. And it found the supposed show of strength lacking. Its huge ears went flat with irritation, and its catlike eyes narrowed dangerously. Who did these humans think they were, challenging him by blocking his way? Did they believe that an accumulation of such feeble organisms could stop him? No matter, the Beast decided. They would see their folly soon enough.

Over a dozen tasers hit the creature at the same time, but the volts of electricity were far from dangerous. The needles in which their charge was stored didn't even pierce the Beast's hide. Annoyance turned to anger, and the Beast was upon them like a cat on a mouse.

With an enormous sweep of his mighty paw, the Beast made half a dozen officers airborne in an almost perfect semicircle. Three went crashing through some adjacent windows, and the rest were knocked abruptly unconscious by cars or streetlamps. It was one such streetlamp that the Beast utilized now, tearing it from the nearby pavement almost effortlessly before using it to clear its path of human obstruction. Several squad cars sailed through the air, burning and broken, and the Beast didn't even look back to see the destruction it had caused.

One officer who managed to remain conscious grabbed one of his fellows by the collar of his uniform. "What are you just standing around for?" he yelled in a manner that would make a drill sergeant proud. "Call the Army! Call the Marines! Hell, while you're at it, call the freaking Air Force!"

Meanwhile, Raven tried to maintain her composure as she surveyed the Beast's wanton devastation. _It can't be too late, _she told herself. _There has to be a way, ANY way! I'm not giving up on Beast Boy! _

But her resolve threatened to crumble as Raven reviewed the facts. _But how am I going to do this? I can't challenge the Beast in the physical world, and there's no way I'd be able to beat it in its own head. Think, Raven, think!_

Then inspiration came to her. The memory of her conversation with Knowledge flashed through Raven's brain. "My expertise is in the scholarly arts, in matters relating to the mind," she'd said. Wild hope flared up inside Raven's body. If anyone could help her out, it was Knowledge. A long shot, to be sure, but time was running out, both for the city and for Beast Boy.

Raven took a spot on the ruined street and closed her eyes.

_I hope this works…_

A/N: I know what you're all thinking right now: "That Quill is a malicious, sadistic, and twisted human being to leave us hanging like that!" Well, you know what? YOU'RE RIGHT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! But seriously, don't freak out too much, 'cause the next chapter will probably be up on Thursday. (If it was possible, I'd have it up on Wednesday, but unfortunately that's my busiest day of the week where classes are concerned.) So keep a weather eye on your "Favorites" list, 'cause this story is winding down!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	17. Chapter 17

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 17: Desperation

_Raven opened her eyes, and found herself once again surrounded by the bizarre yet comfortingly familiar scenery of her mind, the sanctum sanctorum that she used to clear her head and meditate on the most difficult problems._

_It was just such a problem that beset Raven now. She knew full well the toll that the Beast's form would eventually exact on Beast Boy's body. Before long, his muscles and ligaments would start to disintegrate from overuse, and he was expending energy too fast to be replaced. If something wasn't done, and soon, then Beast Boy would die._

_And if that happened, Raven knew, her heart would die with him._

_The young woman's voice echoed hollowly when she spoke. "Hello? Knowledge, are you there?"_

_A giggle caused Raven to turn around. "Of course we are," Happy said. "It's not like we could go anywhere else!"_

"_Where's Knowledge?" Raven asked flatly, ignoring Happy's over-chipper attitude._

"_How would we know, stupid?" Rude suddenly appeared beside her. "Can't you figure that out by yourself?"_

_Raven bristled slightly, but otherwise made no comment. "I need her help. If he isn't stopped, Beast Boy will die."_

"_I'm no good at all this psycho-analysis," a raspy voice replied."But if it means getting to wail on that insufferable fool, then sign me up!"_

_Raven's eyes became as big as dinner plates. She knew full well who that voice belonged to._

"_Oh, c'mon," Rage continued. "Like you haven't fantasized about pulverizing the little freak a thousand times!"_

"_That's not the only thing she's been thinking about," Lust purred, and Raven instantly turned crimson._

_Rage callously shoved her aside so she could get right into Raven's face. "You know that I'm your one hope for stopping the Beast," she hissed, her words laden with venom. "He may be strong, but I am stronger."_

"_Don't listen to her, Raven," a calm voice cut across Rage's speech like a scalpel blade. "She is merely trying to deceive you."_

"_Damn you to hell, Knowledge!" Rage snarled. "If my powers weren't diminished, I'd kill you!"_

"_Quiet," Knowledge replied, and her tone brooked no argument. Then she turned to Raven and asked, "Why have you sought me out?"_

"_You honestly have to ask?" Raven snapped. "Why do you think?"_

"_There's no call for that," Knowledge said, and Raven swore she sounded a little offended. "But yes, now that you are here, I am aware of the situation. It's Beast Boy, isn't it?"_

_Raven's voice shook. "Yes. I don't know how to stop the Beast. We threw everything we had at it, but it didn't even blink!"_

_Knowledge blinked demurely. "I would have thought it was obvious. Think hard, Raven; you have faced psychic opponents like the Beast before."_

"_What are you- Oh." Raven's voice broke off as realization flooded over her "Of course! I defeated Trigon's mini-me in here that time Beast Boy and Cyborg picked up the mirror! That means…"_

_Knowledge finished for her. "That the Beast is far too powerful for you to defeat alone. As with Trigon, you will require all of us to bring your friend back from the brink of darkness. I will not lie, though: this creature is far more powerful than the shadow of your father that used to lurk in here. Even with our combined power, victory is far from certain."_

"_I don't care," Raven said fiercely. "I won't just stand by and let the Beast win. And if you're worried about Rage getting loose, don't. She's far too weak to do anything like that."_

"_Do not rush in blindly," Knowledge chided. "To truly vanquish your friend's darker side is a task far more difficult than any you have yet attempted. Remember, you did not destroy Trigon that day; you merely weakened him." She shot a pointed glance at Rage, who sneered back at her. "The tremendous effort that will be needed for such a task may well exceed our limit. You could burn yourself out, as Beast Boy is in danger of doing."_

"_It's a risk I'll have to take," Raven replied, but her entire body shook with sudden anxiety._

_Knowledge looked at her owlishly. "Your mind is made up, Raven?"_

"_Yes."_

_The multitude of vibrantly colored emotions closed in on her, and Knowledge slapped her book shut with an air of finality._

"_Then let us begin."_

To say that the Beast was enjoying itself would be to utter the understatement of the century. Indeed, it was having buckets of fun obliterating anything in its path, and his malicious glee brought to mind the Grim Reaper during the French Revolution. One could deduce the creature's path simply by following the trail: destroyed cars, mangled parking meters, and mauled mailboxes lay interspersed with flaming debris and wreckage. For over a block the destruction stretched, and at the same time anyone with a grain of sense was heading in the other direction. Here and there, gaily colored buckets and sacks lay strewn haphazardly, dropped by trick-or-treaters as they fled in terror.

Fortunately, all that candy didn't go to waste. At first, the Beast had popped a Butterfinger bar into its mouth purely out of curiosity, but it found to its delight that the treats left behind were very much to its liking. Now, over an hour later, there wasn't even a peppermint left within three blocks of where the Beast currently stood.

And while chocolate had been an amusing diversion, the Beast hungered for fresh meat. It twiddled its fearsome claws almost idly as it cast about for suitable prey…

A rather unfortunate butcher had made the mistake of hiding behind the counter in his shop, and it was the godly smell of the man's wares that drew the Beast closer. The glass door was shattered beneath the creature's massive fist, and it entered the establishment with an almost regal air. Its piercing eyes automatically focused on the beef, chicken and pork that lay inside the refrigerated display case. The Beast's claws made a "tink" sound as they bounced off the reinforced plate glass.

It growled in aggravation, its ears going flat, and two mighty fists slammed against the counter that sheltered the store's proprietor. Unfortunately, the shiny surface of the case refused to shatter, and the Beast let out a howl of frustration. It whirled around abruptly, ripping a chair clean in two as it vented its anger.

Only a few feet away, the hapless butcher clutched a cross around his neck, his lips moving in silent prayer as he asked for deliverance. A sloppily thrown cleaver thudded into the wall beside him, and the man let out an involuntary, strangled sob.

The Beast stopped its rampage instantly. In a manner worthy of the greatest horror movies, it slowly turned its head around and looked at the butcher hungrily. The creature's pink tongue slid around its terrifying fangs, and the human's eyes widened in pure terror as he backed against the wall in a vain attempt to escape.

The monster inhaled deeply, savoring his fear like an exotic perfume. Apparently there was prey to be had after all. The Beast began to advance-

"HALT!"

Both Beast and butcher turned to see the source of the voice that had interrupted the scheduled gore-fest.

Raven walked calmly into the now-ruined shop, her very essence suffused with a power that made the Beast's fur stand on end. When she spoke, her voice was almost omniscient, containing not only her voice but a multitude of others. Her eyes crackled and sparked with blindingly white energy that was just waiting to be unleashed.

The butcher, being a religious man, immediately concluded that an angel had come to save him. Raven locked eyes with the Beast's intended meal for a moment, and a barely perceptible nod of her head told him to make good his escape. He needed no second encouragement, and was out the door at a speed that seemed impossible for a man of his age and weight.

The Beast ballooned its cheeks and let out a full-fledged roar. This woman had cost it a meal, and now she would pay the price, mate or not.

To her credit, Raven didn't even flinch. With a deft motion, her hands became alight with a power as pure as that of the sun itself, and the Beast instinctively flinched as the flare disoriented it.

Raven's voice rang out loud and clear. "Your time is done, Beast," she said. "You will never plague my friend or this city again!" The energy in her palms grew even brighter, and the power surge in the air was almost palpable as Raven pushed her overloaded body to the limit. "_You who curse my friends with plight, shall meet your end on darkest night! _" Raven's voice rose to a thunderous pitch as she continued her mantra. "_By this spell, your time is done! BEAST, RETURN FROM WHENCE YOU'VE COME!"_

Then there was light, brighter than any seen before or since, a solid column of positive energy that shot endlessly to the heavens. Its glow outshone the noonday sun and would have been visible from Venus or Mars, and if one could bear to open his eyes, he would feel as though he were witnessing the birth of the universe. The Beast managed to let out an anguished howl before it collapsed, and very shortly afterward, Raven's unconscious body joined it on the cold linoleum floor.

Though there was no one around to see it, the fallen predator groaned in agony and defeat as the spell took effect. Its ham-sized wrists and hands faded and split to normal human fingers, and the fur rapidly sank into its skin. The Beast's loathsome muzzle shrank and vanished into an increasingly human face, and the enormous paws on which it stood reverted to ordinary human toes. Down, down the Beast went as it grew increasingly shorter, and a final, furious roar escaped its lips before its snarling fangs were replaced by more benign-looking teeth.

Beast Boy slumped to the ground, gasping, but the thanks that formed on his lips vanished along with his consciousness.

The victory had been won.

The Beast was gone forever.

As the two heroes lay sprawled in the ruined meat shop, a familiar, albeit heavily damaged figure peered through the doorway. Cyborg tapped his com screen with his remaining fingers, and it was impossible not to notice the grin in his voice.

"Hey, Rob. I found 'em…"

A/N: I know I said this'd be up tomorrow, but I just couldn't leave you guys hanging, could I? Sure, it was a lot of work, but you guys are TOTALLY WORTH IT! I have been FLOORED by the reviews I've gotten, and I am humbled that you all enjoy my work so much. I wrote this fic because I was fascinated by Beast Boy's duality, But this story has a deeper, less subtle meaning: We all have the monster, the Beast in us, a source of primal rage and emotions left over from our primitive ancestors that everyone tries to lock away. I wrote this story to let my readers have a look at the nightmare, have a look at the spookiness of human nature. People are drawn to the Beast because he's so iconic, and the conflict between Beast Boy and his inner animal mirrors what we all have within ourselves. I hope you have all enjoyed my story, and a million thanks to all of you who have reviewed! Coming up: the epilogue!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


	18. Chapter 18

Rise of the Beast

A Teen Titans Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Teen Titans.

Chapter 18: Beginning Anew

Raven felt strangely hollow as she slowly returned to the waking world. An inexplicable, empty feeling permeated her core, almost like a black hole of nothingness, and Raven knew what it meant.

To put it simply, her magical gas tank was on empty.

Memories of her final confrontation with the Beast flooded Raven's aching brain. For just an instant, sheer panic threatened to overwhelm her, but such negative feelings died just as quickly when Raven heard Beast Boy snoring softly from the hospital bed beside her.

That, in and of itself, made the whole traumatic experience worth the risk it posed. In any case, Raven knew from experience that magical energy never faded completely. That was the funny thing about magic: no matter how much you used, it would always replenish itself. But such things could take time, and given the amount of metaphorical juice she had used in her last-ditch attempt to save Beast Boy, Raven concluded that it would take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months for her magic to build back up. And because of that, Raven knew immediately that she wouldn't be joining her friends on any missions for a while. That was irritating, of course, but given the alternative, a little time off didn't seem so bad.

_Besides_, she thought dryly, _I'm so exhausted that I couldn't tag along even if my powers were functional. I'm actually somewhat surprised the spell didn't kill me. Not that I'm complaining, though…_

Her bleary, purple eyes focused on Beast Boy's unconscious form.

Or, at least, he HAD been unconscious a few seconds ago.

Beast Boy gave a lopsided grin as their faces met. "Hey."

Raven smiled back. "Hello."

The changeling glanced around the sterilized white walls. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"For what?"

"You know exactly what," Beast Boy replied, his voice still husky. "That…THING beat me, Raven. I lost, and so many people paid the price! How many died on Halloween, Raven? Ten? Twenty?"

"Try 'none'," Raven replied. "True, you managed to wreck some stuff, and a few dozen police officers are nursing bruises and broken bones, but frankly, I think it could have been a lot worse."

"So when do the men in white coats come to take me to the funny farm?" Her friend asked bitterly. "There is no WAY the city's gonna let me stay here after what happened."

"Hate to crash your pity party, BB, but nothin' like that's gonna happen." Cyborg's cheery voice interrupted as he and the other Titans hurried inside the sickbay. "I won't lie to ya, there are a couple of higher-ups who ain't too happy, but from what we heard, most of 'em actually felt really sorry for ya."

"What?" Beast Boy was clearly confused.

"While you were both recovering, Robin, Cyborg and I went to speak to the city's High Overlord," Starfire said. "We enlightened them as to the incredible suffering you have endured recently."

"What Star means," Robin clarified, "is that we spoke to the Mayor and the City Council on your behalf. I think their pity more than made up for any irritation they felt over a few damaged sidewalks and windows."

"And, of course, a six-billion dollar bribe from the People On High didn't hurt, either," Cyborg snickered.

"Who?" Now it was Raven who was perplexed.

"Girl, you gotta read the paper once in a while," Cybor snorted. "I'm talkin' about the Justice Leage, Rae. They've been keepin' a closer eye on Titans around the world, ever since the Brain tried to pull an Order 66 and wipe us out."

"What's Order 66?"

"My GOD, Raven!" Cyborg was clearly horrified. "Have you NEVER seen Star Wars?"

"In any case," Robin finished, "The municipal government decided to cut you a break, since you've helped do so much for the city. They'll probably insist that you pass a psych test, too, but that's about it."

"And please do not insist on accompanying us on missions," Starfire pleaded. "You are both exhausted, and you need your rest."

Beast Boy sank deeper into his pillow. "I'm not complaining."

Raven shrugged casually, but the fact of the matter was that being able to spend some quality time alone with her boyfriend was very appealing. "Fine," she conceded, struggling mightily to hide smile on her face. "I guess it could be worse."

"Got that right," Cyborg agreed, and he spared a glance at his still-damaged shoulder to punctuate his point.

The message was not lost on Beast Boy. When he spoke, his voice was ashamed. "I'm sorry, guys," the changeling said. "I hope I didn't hurt you too bad, Cy."

"Don't worry about it," Beast Boy's erstwhile friend waved a hand. "As soon as I'm able to get down to the garage, I'll be fine."

"We're gonna leave you both to recuperate," Robin said, handing Beast Boy an unlabeled DVD. "Here's a little something to keep you occupied."

_I don't need a movie to keep me entertained, _the changeling thought. _Not when Raven's already captured my attention._ But it was a considerate gift, and he responded accordingly. "Thanks, dude. I'm sure me and Rae will enjoy it."

A mysterious smile hovered on the Boy wonder's lips. "Oh, you'll LOVE it. The movie seemed very…_appropriate._"

With that cryptic parting statement, Robin and his fellows left the infirmary, closing the door softly behind them as they made their exit.

Raven groaned as she sat up. "How do you feel?"

"Tired."

"Me, too," Raven agreed. "But on the bright side, the Beast is finally gone. He'll never trouble you again."

"You killed it?" Beast Boy asked incredulously.

"Not exactly," Raven admitted. "I merely reduced it to such impotence that it will never be strong enough to try and pull something like this. The Beast is still there, but you won't be having conversations with yourself anymore."

"So, it's alive, but caged and muzzled?" Beast Boy looked at his girlfriend with hope shining in his eyes.

She couldn't help but chuckle. "That's one way of putting it. How about we watch that movie Robin gave you?"

"We don't even know what movie it is!" the changeling protested as Raven plucked the disc from his hand.

"There's only one way to find out." Raven spoke as she sat heavily on the side of Beast Boy's bed.

For a moment, the screen above them heralded the "fast forward signal", to be replaced by a very well-known scene from a certain Disney movie. Raven's eyes widened with delight at the unspoken message the tape held, and her hand strayed toward his as Mrs. Pott's angelic tones wafted through the speakers:

_Tale as old as time,_

_True as it can be,_

_Barely even friends, then somebody bends,_

_Unexpectedly._

Unconsciously, Raven snuggled closer to him, and Beast Boy's face turned crimson as the song continued:

_Just a little change,_

_Small to say the least,_

_Both a little scared, not a one prepared, Beauty and the Beast._

_Ever just the same,_

_Ever a surprise,_

_Ever as before, ever just as sure,_

_As the sun will rise!_

Unbidden, tears began to obscure Beast Boy's vision. The song could have been written for him, and his heart lurched at the next verse:

_Tale as old as time,_

_Tune as old as song,_

_Bittersweet and strange, finding you can change,_

_Learning you were wrong!_

Raven's soft hands gently turned his face away, and for a moment, the two stared at each other wordlessly, for their eyes said more than words ever could. Then, slowly, Beast Boy and Raven embraced as the melody reached a crescendo:

_Certain as the sun,_

_Rising in the east,_

_Tale as old as time!_

_Song as old as rhyme!_

_Beauty and the Beast!_

_Tale as old as time,_

_Song as old as rhyme,_

_Beauty…and…the Beast._

The movie continued, but despite the masterful work of Disney's animators, it failed to gain the couple's attention. In fact, Beast Boy and Raven never so much as glanced at the TV.

They were hopelessly lost in the simple, sweet happiness of being together.

_ ~The End~_

A/N: And so we have reached the conclusion of my humble tale! I sincerely hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! And avery special thanks goes out to all the people who reviewed my story! To X's Shadow, CrypticMoonFang, BBxRavenLuvR, BornBlindtoBeauty, and all the rest, I send my gratitude for all your warm reviews and helpful criticism! ^^ I have truly been honored by such an enthusiastic reception, and it gives me great joy to present this final chapter as a gift to you all. In conclusion, my friends, it has truly been a privilege to write for you, and I hope to see you all again soon!

Your humble servant,

-Quill N. Inque


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